HELP!!! Something is killing my chickens 😭😭

[Luv Ducks]

I have 14 ducks in an enclosure that is up against my house. It has three sides to it and my house is the forth side. I found online a device called Nite-Guard. It's a solar powered Flash of Danger that repels predators. I bought three of them and put them on all three exposed sides of their large pen. It flashes a red light at night and is supposed to keep predators away at night. My two neighbors that live not far have both lost flock birds to predators. I have never lost one and have had mine for 3 years now. They are not put in an enclosure at night and have free range of the pen all night long. This seems to work for me. A raccoon got my Son's flock years ago where he lives and it did exactly what you described happened to yours. I am so sorry for your loss. Good luck in saving the rest of your flock.

 

[Gina70427]

I'm so sorry. It's difficult isn't it? I cannot bear the thought of even going to open them tomorrow morning. I just can't see it again.
So the raccoon was still in the coop in the daytime? I asked a friend if I could borrow a raccoon trap but haven't heard back from him yet.
Whatever it is chewed through the bottom of the coop door my honey said when he got home. Five dead.
We don't know whether to leave the coop open so the chickens at least have a chance to run away or not tonight?

Yes! I believe my rooster had pin’d it in! But since then I’ve made sure they are all locked down and I’ve put boards all under the parts of my fence that I feel there getting in. I have noticed it’s being moved in the night so there definitely coming back! I would have never thought this was a coon because of how I found my poor hen’s little body. I’m still heavy hearted over it . I’ve got to create a bigger and better hen house asap! I understand coons need to live also but dang it they can go hunt else where.. it makes me wanna sit out there at night ya know .. I live in southern Louisiana so I knew it couldn’t have been anything too crazy then found this coon, it was in this lil area until around 10 am when I walked back to the coop . I didn’t see it before. I believe it was a baby tho (not little bity baby) but it wasn’t huge) . I’m thinking maybe mom and babes went hunting and somehow the smaller one got stuck because of my rooster. Hope all your babies have been ok since!

 

[Gina70427]

I have 14 ducks in an enclosure that is up against my house. It has three sides to it and my house is the forth side. I found online a device called Nite-Guard. It's a solar powered Flash of Danger that repels predators. I bought three of them and put them on all three exposed sides of their large pen. It flashes a red light at night and is supposed to keep predators away at night. My two neighbors that live not far have both lost flock birds to predators. I have never lost one and have had mine for 3 years now. They are not put in an enclosure at night and have free range of the pen all night long. This seems to work for me. A raccoon got my Son's flock years ago where he lives and it did exactly what you described happened to yours. I am so sorry for your loss. Good luck in saving the rest of your flock.

Imma check that out also!!!

 

[Gina70427]

Yes! I believe my rooster had pin’d it in! But since then I’ve made sure they are all locked down and I’ve put boards all under the parts of my fence that I feel there getting in. I have noticed it’s being moved in the night so there definitely coming back! I would have never thought this was a coon because of how I found my poor hen’s little body. I’m still heavy hearted over it . I’ve got to create a bigger and better hen house asap! I understand coons need to live also but dang it they can go hunt else where.. it makes me wanna sit out there at night ya know .. I live in southern Louisiana so I knew it couldn’t have been anything too crazy then found this coon, it was in this lil area until around 10 am when I walked back to the coop . I didn’t see it before. I believe it was a baby tho (not little bity baby) but it wasn’t huge) . I’m thinking maybe mom and babes went hunting and somehow the smaller one got stuck because of my rooster. Hope all your babies have been ok since!

Thank you I'm going to check into it

Also can you put chicken wire around the bottom of your hen house? Maybe so it can’t chew thru ? Just a thought. The dang raccoons are ruthless!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Also can you put chicken wire around the bottom of your hen house? Maybe so it can’t chew thru ? Just a thought. The dang raccoons are ruthless!!

Chicken wire is to keep chickens in, not predators out

 

[jen61871]

Imma check that out also!!!

The animal came back last night. My honey heard it and ran out and searched the coop but didn't see anything. Two were dead though. He opened the chickens this morning because I couldn't bear the thought of it. He says the holes are too small for a raccoon. I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's a weasel or a mink from what I'm reading. It's smarter then us. We think we have everything closed up but it still find a way. It chewed through the door a tiny hole the other night.
I'm afraid it's not going to quit until my whole flock is gone

 

[jen61871]

I'm sorry about your birds.
Can you post pictures of your coop so we can figure out how it's getting in? Sounds like coon or possum

I will post pictures later when my honey can come home and take them I am so affected by this I can't even go in the coop right now. I have had chickens for seven years and have never lost them like I am losing them now

 

[KRack]

The animal came back last night. My honey heard it and ran out and searched the coop but didn't see anything. Two were dead though. He opened the chickens this morning because I couldn't bear the thought of it. He says the holes are too small for a raccoon. I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's a weasel or a mink from what I'm reading. It's smarter then us. We think we have everything closed up but it still find a way. It chewed through the door a tiny hole the other night.
I'm afraid it's not going to quit until my whole flock is gone

Can you pull your chickens inside for a few nights while you set a trap or at least have time to work on the coop to make it more secure?

My friend once suggested putting them in a tent in my garage if I had to pull them in all at the same time for a night.

 

[Gina70427]

Chicken wire is to keep chickens in, not predators out

Right .. I just fig it would be hard for the raccoons to chew through ya know. Lemme clarify my words.. some kind of wire .. maybe not chicken wire . I’ve seen others do this is why I said it lol.

 

[Gina70427]

The animal came back last night. My honey heard it and ran out and searched the coop but didn't see anything. Two were dead though. He opened the chickens this morning because I couldn't bear the thought of it. He says the holes are too small for a raccoon. I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's a weasel or a mink from what I'm reading. It's smarter then us. We think we have everything closed up but it still find a way. It chewed through the door a tiny hole the other night.
I'm afraid it's not going to quit until my whole flock is gone

so sorry!! It’s heartbreaking! I pray you can find out what it is and get it gone !!