HOW TO CATCH A THIEF...PLEASE HELP....

[Bettyboop7499]

Please help me identify what could possibly be taking my chickens. I've lost three...and this morning I'm completely stunned!

First one I found a tuft of down feathers, no blood and no other signs of struggle. The second one I heard the chickens frightened and they were flying toward the house, my OEGBs were on the roof of my house!-never found any traces-just no chicken. But, I thought I saw a coyote run away...could have spooked a deer though-just caught a glimpse(??)

But this is what has left me stunned...
The past couple of days I've kept them in the run trying to see if any were laying...last two nights had to keep side window open due to extreme heat in the area, so hot I didn't feel safe sealing them in coop. But the window was only propped open a foot and a half at most plus it is four feet off the ground...found a few pulled out feathers in the coop, shavings and nest was disturbed but other than that and a missing chicken NO SIGNS OF PREDATOR! What could have jumped a 5' fence, get into a coop and out again with one large chicken in its mouth without leaving a trace or knocking down the propped up window... the window is a fold out Window that I can open and easily clean the coop and gather eggs, So it was propped up by a 2x4 at a 15 degree angle. So something flew in or jumped up on the window ledge...?

I just can't believe it...I was so worried that the heat at night would killed them. I'm going to cut a wider vent and put mesh over it so I don't have to worry about the heat...so upset!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Trish1974]

What could have jumped a 5' fence, get into a coop and out again with one large chicken in its mouth without leaving a trace or knocking down the propped up window...

Honestly...just about anything. Predators can climb, jump, dig, you name it. They also have a way of squeezing through surprisingly small spaces. You could set a live trap or if you can get a game camera set that up facing the window. Whatever it was will be back. By "mesh" I hope you mean hardware cloth. Chicken wire is weak and will not keep out predators. I am sorry you had to go through this. I've been worried about my flock and the heat also, and have been leaving the pop door and window open about an hour later than I usually do, but I have hot wire as added protection.

 

[SueT]

I suggest you put that hardware mesh over the window too. Maybe it's a bobcat or a fox, but whatever it was, it will return.

 

[twilightgecko]

i use game cams to keep on eye on whats coming and going around my coop and run.. a fox is pretty crafty, but i've yet to have one scale my 6 foot fence.. but they DO take the whole chicken, leaving just some feathers.. once they know chickens are there, they will come back again and again.. hmmm.. sorry for your losses and look into a game cam, some aren;t too expensive and they are amazing! good luck

 

[mill-j]

Don't forget about hawks and owls. Owls would almost fit that description.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your losses.
If your coop is too hot to leave them in it at night you need to add ventilation, and all ventilation openings should be covered in 1/2" or smaller hardware cloth. Doors should be closed and locked with something a predator can't open. If they are not in a predator proof coop at night you are just going to be running a chik-fil-a for predators. Foxes can go up and over a fence like it's not there, they will sometimes kill every bird in there and only carry one or two off. Raccoons can open many kinds of latches if they are not the right type. Some predators will dig under walls and fences and get in that way. A game camera will help you identify what's coming in, but you will still need to prevent it from happening. Once they successfully hunt in your coop, they will keep coming back. If you post pictures of your set up it will help get you more suggestions on how you might get it better secured.

 

[SueT]

I can't believe it's hotter in MI than here in MO. We have had highs in upper nineties every day, lows in the 80's. Our metal roofed coop w 2 mesh covered windows is not too hot at night.
I just spent a few days in a NY town near Lake Erie and people up there think that highs in the 80's is hot. So I'm curious what temp you consider 'hot.'

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I can't believe it's hotter in MI than here in MO. We have had highs in upper nineties every day, lows in the 80's. Our metal roofed coop w 2 mesh covered windows is not too hot at night.
I just spent a few days in a NY town near Lake Erie and people up there think that highs in the 80's is hot. So I'm curious what temp you consider 'hot.'

It was 107 and feel like 125..that's hot I don't care where or who you are! It wasn't getting below 80 at night and I don't feel there is enough ventilation, my husband and I disagree. And then if I add a window what do I do with the window during the winter?

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Honestly...just about anything. Predators can climb, jump, dig, you name it. They also have a way of squeezing through surprisingly small spaces. You could set a live trap or if you can get a game camera set that up facing the window. Whatever it was will be back. By "mesh" I hope you mean hardware cloth. Chicken wire is weak and will not keep out predators. I am sorry you had to go through this. I've been worried about my flock and the heat also, and have been leaving the pop door and window open about an hour later than I usually do, but I have hot wire as added protection.

I was thinking something like chicken wire..but now that I've thought about it I think I will put a couple more register vents that way I can close them in the winter. Any thoughts about that?

 

[mowin]

Add a window or two. Cover the opening with HWC on whichever side won't interfere with the opening and closing of the window. Summer, leave it open, winter if needed, close it.