Help me stop the carnage!

[Baby Chick Mom]

Hi!
I am desperate. I'm losing a hen every day or two. I have a trail cam coming tomorrow (Wednesday evening) and then I'm out of town for four days! I am down to three hens with multiple predators, I think.

I found one hen with just her head missing. Raccoon. The others have left a few feathers from the struggle and I find nothing else. I think it could be a fox. Most opossums leave the body without organs.

I thought they were going missing at dusk. I have an electric coop door so I programmed the door to close earlier in the evening (still after they go to roost). I had four last night. I checked this morning and I'd lost one already.

I have a well-ventilated coop that's 6x6' and 8' high with hardware cloth on three sides plus an oscillating fan. I'm in Dallas, TX and the high for the next five days 101 at 50% humidity. I don't have a run since they have the run of the whole backyard.

Should I keep them locked in the coop (for five days!) until I figure out what's getting them?
Or let them get picked off one at a time?
Or something else I'm not considering?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Heartsick Chicken Mom,
Kellye

Hi!
I am desperate. I'm losing a hen every day or two. I have a trail cam coming tomorrow (Wednesday evening) and then I'm out of town for four days! I am down to three hens with multiple predators, I think.

I found one hen with just her head missing. Raccoon. The others have left a few feathers from the struggle and I find nothing else. I think it could be a fox. Most opossums leave the body without organs.

I thought they were going missing at dusk. I have an electric coop door so I programmed the door to close earlier in the evening (still after they go to roost). I had four last night. I checked this morning and I'd lost one already.

I have a well-ventilated coop that's 6x6' and 8' high with hardware cloth on three sides plus an oscillating fan. I'm in Dallas, TX and the high for the next five days 101 at 50% humidity. I don't have a run since they have the run of the whole backyard.

Should I keep them locked in the coop (for five days!) until I figure out what's getting them?
Or let them get picked off one at a time?
Or something else I'm not considering?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Heartsick Chicken Mom,
Kellye

Hi!

Kellye, Don't know what has happened to your remaining chickens since your original post, but I'm wondering why no one has suggested a TOP screen for your coop. Seems like to me that something is climbing your fence (assuming nothing is digging under it). OR Hawks are taking your hens. Keep them in your pen with a TOP on it and provide shade. Hope you haven't lost any more. Since I only have four beautiful little hens, I KNOW how precious your ladies are!
I am desperate. I'm losing a hen every day or two. I have a trail cam coming tomorrow (Wednesday evening) and then I'm out of town for four days! I am down to three hens with multiple predators, I think.

I found one hen with just her head missing. Raccoon. The others have left a few feathers from the struggle and I find nothing else. I think it could be a fox. Most opossums leave the body without organs.

I thought they were going missing at dusk. I have an electric coop door so I programmed the door to close earlier in the evening (still after they go to roost). I had four last night. I checked this morning and I'd lost one already.

I have a well-ventilated coop that's 6x6' and 8' high with hardware cloth on three sides plus an oscillating fan. I'm in Dallas, TX and the high for the next five days 101 at 50% humidity. I don't have a run since they have the run of the whole backyard.

Should I keep them locked in the coop (for five days!) until I figure out what's getting them?
Or let them get picked off one at a time?
Or something else I'm not considering?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Heartsick Chicken Mom,
Kellye

 

[Jamited]

Hi!
I am desperate. I'm losing a hen every day or two. I have a trail cam coming tomorrow (Wednesday evening) and then I'm out of town for four days! I am down to three hens with multiple predators, I think.

I found one hen with just her head missing. Raccoon. The others have left a few feathers from the struggle and I find nothing else. I think it could be a fox. Most opossums leave the body without organs.

I thought they were going missing at dusk. I have an electric coop door so I programmed the door to close earlier in the evening (still after they go to roost). I had four last night. I checked this morning and I'd lost one already.

I have a well-ventilated coop that's 6x6' and 8' high with hardware cloth on three sides plus an oscillating fan. I'm in Dallas, TX and the high for the next five days 101 at 50% humidity. I don't have a run since they have the run of the whole backyard.

Should I keep them locked in the coop (for five days!) until I figure out what's getting them?
Or let them get picked off one at a time?
Or something else I'm not considering?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Heartsick Chicken Mom,
Kellye

Hi!
I am desperate. I'm losing a hen every day or two. I have a trail cam coming tomorrow (Wednesday evening) and then I'm out of town for four days! I am down to three hens with multiple predators, I think.

I found one hen with just her head missing. Raccoon. The others have left a few feathers from the struggle and I find nothing else. I think it could be a fox. Most opossums leave the body without organs.

I thought they were going missing at dusk. I have an electric coop door so I programmed the door to close earlier in the evening (still after they go to roost). I had four last night. I checked this morning and I'd lost one already.

I have a well-ventilated coop that's 6x6' and 8' high with hardware cloth on three sides plus an oscillating fan. I'm in Dallas, TX and the high for the next five days 101 at 50% humidity. I don't have a run since they have the run of the whole backyard.

Should I keep them locked in the coop (for five days!) until I figure out what's getting them?
Or let them get picked off one at a time?
Or something else I'm not considering?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Heartsick Chicken Mom,
Kellye

What you could try is to place flashing solar lights around your chicken run. They are easy to install and you get plenty of sunshine to charge up the lights during the day so that the lights should be on all night. They are using this method in parts of Africa to deter lions from attacking farmers livestick, so hopefully this will deter whatever is attacking your poor little birdies. I'm sure you can get these lights from Home Depot or somewhere similar and you just stick email in the ground. Simp!es!Good luck xx

 

[Wicked Storm]

What you could try is to place flashing solar lights around your chicken run. They are easy to install and you get plenty of sunshine to charge up the lights during the day so that the lights should be on all night. They are using this method in parts of Africa to deter lions from attacking farmers livestick, so hopefully this will deter whatever is attacking your poor little birdies. I'm sure you can get these lights from Home Depot or somewhere similar and you just stick email in the ground. Simp!es!Good luck xx

Yes but will this confuse the chickens into thinking it is daylight? They may not sleep of so[/QUOTE]

 

[aart]

What you could try is to place flashing solar lights around your chicken run.

This will not deter predators..once they get used to them.

Yes but will.This co fuse the chickens into thinking it is daylight? They may not sleep of so

It may indeed disturb the chickens.

 

[Melky]

Don’t forget about domestic dogs loose as suffered two attacks this week from pit bull terriers two running free this week. I am seeking prosecution pressed charges and damages. First flocked and came back for second. While I think these will live. Still watching for insurers or stress internally superficial wound to me and my birds. Had two unprovoked attacks from the same dogs. I have increased security with cameras in back and finding no wild animal attacks just the pit bulls. Hope this flock makes it. I made sure everything was secure and padlocked all my latched doors and the dogs could seem to get past the padlocks but I think it only held because I caught them and sent them to the shelter. Working to switch to shed on concrete. In the meantime adding HWC and netting over run that is strong and only in outdoor run during day when can watch otherwise inside. Good Luck!

 

[Jamited]

What you could try is placing solar lights around your chicken run.you can get ones that flash or come on when something is approaching. !lights are a deterrent. These lights can be stuck in the ground or where it suits you. This system is being used in Africa to deter lions from stealing livestock so it must be worth a try. You have plenty of sunshine to charge them up. No wiring is necessary. I hope you have some success and your birdies stay safe

 

[Jamited]

Just seen some responses - sorry I'm repeating myself. Once your chickens are in their coop they won't see the lights, so won't be bothered. I suppose whatever is attacking your birds may get used to the !lights in time but will give you a chance to make the area more secure. I have my chicks in an aviary built in reinforced steel buried under the earth and flag stones all around. The coop has a timed door opener and closer so I know the chicks are safe, but we check in them all the same. We only need to worry about foxes and cats here in my part of UK but I feel For you all

 

[TARDIS37379]

I use a little coop for chicks before they transition to the cage in the big coop. This pic was a couple of years ago and I had to add different lights and pull the coop close to the house to stop him

 

[rwoodstockn]

I don't know. The bad guys you get seem pretty reasonable if they turn up at a particular time.
Part of the point of being a bad guy here at least is to be unpredictable and fast.
Maybe we've got different bad guys.

I have had some predators who seemed to keep a schedule. I watched for them for a few days and took them out as they came around. A trail camera with time stamps let's me know if there is a pattern to respond to.

 

[cmom]

@kellyek, how did you make out. How were your birds when you got back? Did you find out what the predator was? A curious mind would like to know...