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

[blackdog043]

And then if I add a window what do I do with the window during the winter?

You will probably need to leave it open some for ventilation. Ventilation is just as important in winter. All windows and ventilation openings should be covered with hardware cloth.

 

[Pugsabi]

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?

I don't know your set up but maybe try wooden shutters for winter?

 

[LaVitaEBella]

A predator will always come back for its prey, I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I would have to agree with the other members of this community, you have to set-up a game camera to see what it is, then set-up a trap afterward to catch the culprit.

 

[mill-j]

Actually one time we had some fox or weasel problems around our chicken tractors. We finally got desperate and borrowed a trail camera and set it up. Instantly we had no problems, I'm still not sure what it was but for some odd reason the night we set up the camera it stopped and we didn't even need to do anything. I wish it would always go like that Wishful thinking I'm sure...

 

[aart]

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.

It wasn't quite that hot, but it sure felt like it! We had temps in the mid to upper 90's and heat indexes of 100-110 down here over the weekend.

.....And then if I add a window what do I do with the window during the winter?

Well, you close it.
Lots of top hinged glazed windows with HC inside......large roof overhangs with open soffits, again covered with HC, for winter ventilation.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

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.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Please help me identify what could possibly be taking my chickens..... 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...

Almost any K9 or cat predators can do what you observed.