HELP!!! Something is killing my chickens 😭😭

[rockymountain]

I agree with a preious poster, you need to remove the chickens meanwhile. I just had the same thing happen to me. I put my remaining chickens in a dog crate in my garage. I worked on my pen for two weekends in a row. I used hard wire, 1/4 inch openings, comes in rolls. My coon got in thru the roof and took a while to figure out how to get out and found a very small opening above a gate. I hardwired and lots of zip ties to secure. The wire is hard to work with need cutting tool and where gloves. So sorry for your loss. I am grieving over my loss of two four-year-old chickens. Their necks and up were eaten. I cannot imagine to loose as many you have lost, including your wonderful rooster. My alpha hen fought like crazy but managed to keep alive. I am still caring for her wounds. Best to get the coop and run secure then return the chickens. I also tried the trap for several weeks, couldn't catch. My situation a mountain lion stalking and eventually got it, that I found on my game cam.

 

[Purelychicks]

Can you post pics of the coop & bodies…? So Sorry for your loss.. we had this happened last year with a coyote pack because ours free range in the day time

 

[DarJones]

You have a choice. Either predator proof the coop and run or eliminate the predator. Both IMO work best. A predator will NOT stop once it has killed and eaten your birds. They will return again and again until all are gone.

I set traps to catch predators getting into my chickens a few years ago. All told, I caught and killed 35 raccoons, opossums, and chicken snakes in about 3 months. I've never had a weasel or mink thankfully. They can be very difficult to stop.

 

[Coffetym]

It's animal urine something you can buy?

Try www.cabelas.com or www.basspro.com
One or both of them are almost guaranteed to have fox urine.

 

[Bertie-Merle]

It's animal urine something you can buy?

Yes, you can buy bobcat, coyote, fox, etc. urine through Cabellas/Bass Pro Shop and likely other hunting outfitters.

https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q=animal urine scent

 

[Bertie-Merle]

Try www.cabelas.com or www.basspro.com
One or both of them are almost guaranteed to have fox urine.

Sorry, @Coffetym, I replied before seeing your response.

 

[Coffetym]

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

I’ve known of coons squeezing through extremely small holes & they will gnaw or tear their way in or out of most pens. I do recommend a couple of good game cameras mounted low & facing away from the chicken run. Living in southern LA it shouldn’t be hard to find someone who will come trap the coons for free. Don’t be fooled by someone who wants to charge you to trap them. Most people will sell them to people who eat them. They are actually very tasty when prepared correctly.

 

[Bertie-Merle]

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?

You can use what I know as "mechanic's wire mesh", which is a heavier gauged welded galvanized 1/2" opening fencing ... even at that, it wouldn't hurt to double up on it. (Remember that the lower the gauge number the thicker the wire, so look for 19, or 16 gauge .... 23 gauge is too thin in your case!) I've had racoons go through regular galvanized 1/2" wire like of a lighter gauge as if it was a paper towel after bending 6" aluminum vent strips to get into my attic and raise Holy Hell with my A/C, wiring, etc.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...nized-Steel-Hardware-Cloth-308221EB/205960835
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fencer-...ith-Mesh-1-2-in-x-1-in-WB16-3X10MH1/309769530

Some coops have just "set in" floors for the raised sleeping area .... you could use heavy duty staples or "U" shaped nails or such to put a barrier underneath the floor if you have a raised sleeping area ... even if you have a slide out shavings pan.

You can use the "mechanics wire mesh" around the outside of your coop on the ground and secure it with paving or concrete path stones.

Racoons are vicious animals in the wild when cornered. You can trap them and turn them over to your Wildlife folks, but do NOT APPROACH a wild animal such as a racoon, coyote, bobcat or such... especially in a restricted area.

I'm so very sorry to hear about your chickens ... that is horrific and so heartbreaking ... but please be careful if you encounter the culprit, especially if it is inside an enclosed area!

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I once lost about 30 newly-feathered chicks in an outdoor brooder overnight. Nothing was left but blood everywhere.

It was one or more weasels. They fit under the bottom boards where there was gapping against the ground.

I have also found dead chickens hanging from the chicken yard fence, necks pulled through and missing their heads. That was a real head-scratcher.

Some signs of weasels...

Chickens are beheaded or missing parts of their necks: Weasels attack through many small bites to the back of the neck. This often beheads chickens or nearly severs the head.

Chicken entrails are strung and bitten. Weasels often pull out chicken intestines and other organs and may string them.

Chickens are bloody but not eaten. This is a more sure sign of a weasel attack

Chickens are drug to the edges of the coop. Sometimes weasels will drag chickens to the corners of the coop or the edges to “hide” it for future feasting. Weasels may even line up the chickens in a row.

 

[Bertie-Merle]

I’ve known of coons squeezing through extremely small holes & they will gnaw or tear their way in or out of most pens. I do recommend a couple of good game cameras mounted low & facing away from the chicken run. Living in southern LA it shouldn’t be hard to find someone who will come trap the coons for free. Don’t be fooled by someone who wants to charge you to trap them. Most people will sell them to people who eat them. They are actually very tasty when prepared correctly.

Everything tastes good in gumbo.

I once lost about 30 newly-feathered chicks in an outdoor brooder overnight. Nothing was left but blood everywhere.

It was one or more weasels. They fit under the bottom boards where there was gapping against the ground.

I have also found dead chickens hanging from the chicken yard fence, necks pulled through and missing their heads. That was a real head-scratcher.

Some signs of weasels...

Chickens are beheaded or missing parts of their necks: Weasels attack through many small bites to the back of the neck. This often beheads chickens or nearly severs the head.

Chicken entrails are strung and bitten. Weasels often pull out chicken intestines and other organs and may string them.

Chickens are bloody but not eaten. This is a more sure sign of a weasel attack

Chickens are drug to the edges of the coop. Sometimes weasels will drag chickens to the corners of the coop or the edges to “hide” it for future feasting. Weasels may even line up the chickens in a row.

That is horrific. I don't believe I've encountered weasels in SE Texas, but after reading that I pray I never do. That was informative, just the same, and sounds like a very likely candidate for the culprit in this case. Thanks for that info.