I got cleaned out last night !!!!!! This is now war!!!!!!

[They Call Me Pete]

Wife just called me to say there is a trail of feathers going to woods. What ever got them took 13 left one dead on and another amazingly survived. My daughters are going to be devastated but I hope telling them we'll get more will easy the pain. Guess I'l be investing in that electric fence after all. I'm putting my vote in that it was a fisher cat. I saw one about a month or two ago and neighbor thinks they heard it crying in the woods. I accept the blame for being cheap and not putting up electric fence then. Shoulda, coulda, woulda

 

[chickensioux]

Oh no, I am so, so sorry this happened to you and your family.

 

[can you hear me now?]

I know how you feel. I had a racoon do the same to me last year. The electric fence is a great idea, I have one around my run and also have a lockable door for when they go in to roost. I haven't lost a single chicken in that run since i put that there. I also suggest a live trap but it isn't a must. Somehow I always feel there is retribution in catching what killed something of mine.

anyway good luck and you will be pleased with the electric fence. I used 2 strands, one for the smaller animals that might want to eat chickens and one for the higher spots that dogs may take to get in. I also used a pet fence box for the juice since it is relatively cheap and still gets the point across.

 

[Camelot Farms]

13? Oh no!

Maybe I am just a newbie, but that seems unusual. I have been raided before but only for one or two at a time.

Is anyone thinking that it is a mama 'something' who was feeding kits/pups?

I am so sorry for your loss. It is heartbreaking and frustrating!

 

[can you hear me now?]

I have been cleaned out by a racoon that came in killed almost all of my 3 month olds and then scooted off with one in its mouth while I was waiting for my .22 to be brought to me. Unusual yes for that many to be taken. Unusual to be cleaned out? Not for me lol

 

[Ridgerunner]

These sites might help you decide what really took your chickens. This time of year, I'd think maybe a mama predator teaching her young to hunt could alter this behavior a bit.

Good luck.

Oklahoma State – Clues to predators
http://osuextra.okstate.edu/pdfs/F-8204web.pdf

Clues to Predators thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18670

 

[kuntrygirl]

That just really ticks me off to hear about this. I am so mad. I feel as if they cleaned me out. So sorry for your loss.

 

[They Call Me Pete]

I was talking to a friend and he said coons. It happened to him. I'm guessing mama or a bunch of them. I going to totally predator proof the run. Electric fence, dig wire down further and put a top on the run to keep out the climbing critters and make sure the .22 is sighted in

.

 

[Lifetime chicken lover]

This also happened to me...not 13, but 6 in 2 nights...and one left injured. We also found several just a few yards away in the woods. Our best guess was a family of raccoons.
I'm sorry about your loss, but it's a good opportunity to discuss death and nature to your daughters.

 

[MIKE555444]

sorry for your loss.... I know how much time and work you must have put into these chickens.... that really sucks

I made my run mostly dog/fox proof... we have so many dogs in our neighborhood that I don't expect to have a coon or something climb over the fence. I have a strong fence that is 5 1/2 foot tall with 6 inches burried. I threatened to run power down to the chick house and put up an electric fence... but haven't yet

after reading this... .. this has me thinking the local dogs may not have the outside guarded well enough to keep them away....

Agian sorry for your loss