Help me figure out who MURDERED our flock!!!

[bj taylor]

i can't imagine how awful it would be to come out & find your chickens slaughtered like that. my first ever babies are coming in a few days. i am now convinced to get that electric fence UP.

 

[ZoeS95423]

We have had raccoons dig/chew about 2 foot holes in our coop before, and the boards were old about about 8 inches thick. It was ridiculous. I hate anything getting in my coop. I had a fox come in the middle of the day one time, only got one of my chickens thank god. Scared the crap out of the rest of them though. I really hope you figure everything out!

 

[FarmTillURdead]

You chickens ought to be fine cooped up. Chickens adjust well to different situations when they are young. (They don't know any different!) They should be alright outside in the day time with supervision. If you can't keep them out long that's alright. They get pretty silly after being cooped up. Let them out and they go crazy, get tired and are ready to rest again. I coop my birds at night and every morning, after I let them out, for about 10 minutes is madness!

 

[harveyhorses]

I can't quite picture your setup, but I would recommend electric fence if they have any kind of run.
If it was a bear that would be one of the only things to discourage it, and anything else that puts a paw on it.

 

[darin367]

i think you have a coon problem...... a hungery bear will eat them..... coons will kill them all, eat or pack off a few......... you can get a live trap for coons for about 40 bucks..... i lost my entire flock 3 months ago, so i know your pain...... get the live trap, keep it set 24/7........kill what you catch, no mercy.... it's war!!!!!!!

 

[riverpilot69]

i think you have a coon problem...... a hungery bear will eat them..... coons will kill them all, eat or pack off a few......... you can get a live trap for coons for about 40 bucks..... i lost my entire flock 3 months ago, so i know your pain...... get the live trap, keep it set 24/7........kill what you catch, no mercy.... it's war!!!!!!!

I agree.

 

[isaac isley]

our first set up that killed 7 chickens was an A frame 8 by 4 by 4 feet the2. time it was a 3 foot of the ground 1 foot wide and 10 foot long with seperateing slots so one 2 foot slot one 3 foot slot and one 5 foot slot ,the chickens were in the 3 foot slot bild it step by step in your head.

 

[FarmTillURdead]

We kill what we catch too. I refuse to deal with it twice. It is war. I will win.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:

If you are in the country, pick a good hide area with a spotlight/flood light on the coop. Put some chickens in as bait. Set the .300 mag up on target and wait. Sorry to hurt the animal lover feeling here but that deal won't happen but once. That has to end. I don't you are safe even. Whatever it is is not exhibiting fear at all.

That's a great way to get arrested in NC, especially if it's a bear

There are big fines for shooting bear out of season, EVEN if it's after your animals

The cheapest, easiest solution is a good electric fence.
Bears learn to avoid them in a hurry, and they are good for other predators too, without the risk of huge fines, or losing your gun.

A fence will work for you 24 hours a day and keep even the biggest bears out
They walk AROUND my pastures all the time:

 

[harveyhorses]

A good fence beats shooting one animal hands down.
I have a pretty big run for 4 hens, started as a dog pen, chain link, hardware cloth,
chicken wire under tarps on the roof. Electric fence all around. I have had one hawk that came through the netting I had before the chicken wire/tarp setup and one skunk that wandered in while the girls were free ranging. I thought it had dug under, but nope.
Good luck. If you want to make it predator resistant think like one.

I am not opposed to killing predators, I just think good fencing is a safer long term solution.