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

[Country4ever]

Oh Pete, I'm so sorry!! You lost so many!
I lost 2 in my run 2 weeks ago from a coon. I can't believe how much damage he did in such little time. Probably within 5 minutes he killed 2 and injured some others.
I've had these chickens for 6 years, and never saw a coon around them before. Now it seems like everyone has them. It must be a good year for coons (and a very bad one for chickens).
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss!

 

[mdbokc]

We had raccoon visitors. The electric fence stopped them. Worth the run of electricity (a couple hundred feet) to have the peace of mind. Have not had any problems since.

 

[They Call Me Pete]

Quote:
I agree 100%. I'm at my camper(half hour away from home) and we had a good discussion about this on the way back home. I'm waiting for my oldest(6yrs) to break down before bed. This is what she did last time we lost one. I think they were happy to have one left. I put that one in with food/water boarded up the "chicken door" and put mesh over window for the rest of the weekend. The real kicker is in another two months the RI reds would have been laying. I will replace the layers and maybe get some day olds for my girls to raise. It was coons for sure. Scratch marks everywhere. Top of gate and all around fence inside and out.

 

[flopshot]

sorry about the birds Pete.. would it be possible to post some pictures of the damage and what you think allowed the coons to break in ? it might help prevent a disaster for someone else.

 

[SangaChicken]

Sorry about your loss. Is it possible that some of them are scattered or hiding, or are they all definitively gone?

 

[PeepsInc]

Sorry about your loss. I find keeping a light on for my birds keeps the critters away. It's well worth the extra $3 a month in a electric.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I'm so sorry for your family's loss.

My guess would be a fox feeding a litter. The reason for my guess is my FIL lost all 16 chickens in one night with only feathers left behind. The next night we saw a fox snooping around to see if there were any more.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Can you tell me where to look for electric fence? A fencing company I suppose?

It sounds like you can put them up yourself. Is it hard? Who would have the supplies.

I have fox around here and I don't want to lose any more chickens to them.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
I know tractor supply has the supplies to put up an electric fence, and I am sure other farming supply stores would have the stuff too. Possibly Lowes. As to how to put up the fence, I haven't a clue because I haven't done it yet. I plan too and I have been mentally logging where things are and were they are cheaper...lol

 

[Wolf-Kim]

FOX!

A fox will clean you out before you know it. They run in, snatch what they can, take off, store it, and come back for the rest. They continue this until the food source is gone, or they are interrupted.

-Kim