Help me! Marilyn dead, her sisters in shock and terrified.

[urbanfred]

Valentine's day morning, our 2 R.I reds were on the patio in the dark (5 am). The door to the run had been left open (wife forgot to close). My dear little Marilyn (bantam cochin) was not to be seen. I went to the coop immediately, and she was there, dead, head chewed off. The reds were agitated and confused. The reds wouldn't go into the run or the coop. I put them back in last night, after resistance, and they went in to sleep. 30 minutes later screaming from the coop. Both of them were hurling themselves against the chicken wire and screaming. They were terrified. I picked them up and put them into the garage, and they immediately calmed down and slept. This morning, they will not leave the garage, even for food or water. What can I do?
Grieving old chicken dad.

 

[BeckyLa]

I would leave them in the garage until you can kill the predator and make the coop more secure. Poor babies....

 

[Renee]

Oh, no! Poor Marilyn.
Do you have any ideas about what can be doing this? Is there a raccoon in the yard, terrorizing the chickens at night?

 

[AHappychick]

maybe what ever killed your bantam is still in the coop? I am sorry for your loss I forgot to close my run one night and lost 4 beautiful birds last year, maybe an automatic door, I have been reading a lot on how to make them.

 

[Cetawin]

Oh I am so sorry. Sounds like a coon with head gone. Poor girls. Leave them in the garage for now, find the predator (Look for a raccoon), dispose of predator and proof up the coop and run area a bit better.

They will get over it but it will take them time. Check the coop well...the predator may be hanging out in there. If you have open ceiling look around the rafters/studs and in corners and such.

Good luck with it.

 

[dave_Cash69]

yeah
sounds like a coon
good solution to the problem, is a .357 magnum and some hollow points,

 

[chicknmania]

We had problems with coons a few years ago. A mother and baby were coming in every night. Most of our chickens started coming up to the house and wanting to roost in the garage at night. After we trapped the coons, things eventually returned to normal and everyone went back to the barn to roost, where they belonged. Chewing the head off, yeah, probably a coon.

 

[bwebb7]

So sorry for your loss
I think after a few days you'll be able to put them back in. When you get rid of the predator change out the bedding and all the smells will be fresh and new.
Happy girls-happy farmer!

 

[urbanfred]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I 'm sure it's a coon, and it is not in the coop. The coop is small, 3'x3'x6', and I will thoroughly clean everything. The reds are so scared it's unreal, and I dread having them injure themselves trying to get out of their run and coop. They have the run of the yard during the day, sleeping inside at night. I must say that the grief I feel at losing Marilyn is awful. She was a "house chicken" for two months while a toe injury healed. She sat on my shoulder and read the paper with me, (yes, she wore a diaper, slept in a cage in the extra bedroom and bounced downstairs when she got up, and learned to come when called.
A little snow white, feather-legged, pom-pom-tailed princess......

 

[shay20]

ahhh so sorry to hear what happened. Hope your girls get over that, poor things.