Identifing mystery predator *GRAPHIC PHOTOS*

[cmom]

To build the birds a nice large secure pen. Once they get used to it they may not want to go out. I have opened the gates to my pens but the birds prefer to stay in them. When you free range you will loose a bird sooner or later. As I mentioned in a previous post, the predator has probably been lurking looking for an opportunity and found it. Again, if you have a game camera you may want to put it up to see what you're dealing with and then you can make a plan. You can eliminate the predator but eventually your birds well be discovered again. I don't want to sound harsh but it happens especially when free ranging. Good luck...

Now and then I put Flock Blocks in the pens under their rain/shade tables for the birds to peck at. I also give them grass clipping to scratch through.

 

[aart]

Anyone know of any good repellents for opossums/raccoons?

Hardware Cloth, well attached.

 

[StardustChicken]

Some tracks caught my eye earlier this morning on the way to tend to my chickens

 

[MarilynHukill]

Some tracks caught my eye earlier this morning on the way to tend to my chickens
Poll here

Raccoon

 

[cooingcrow1]

Look's like a raccoon.

 

[cmom]

 

[cooingcrow1]

Maybe not a coon now looking at this what do you think.

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

So sorry for you losses. If you have a game camera put it up. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and found one. It could have been almost any predator. Most predators roam at night here and I suspect the same where you are. I don't know if you have weasels in Louisiana. We don't in Florida. If they were in a pen. It appears from your pictures your wire is 2x4. Were the birds secured in their coop/cage when they were killed?
View attachment 2321235
I have electric wires around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates, and heavy duty netting covering all of the pens, all due to losses from predators in the past. Good luck...

Concrete under Gates...

So sorry for you losses. If you have a game camera put it up. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and found one. It could have been almost any predator. Most predators roam at night here and I suspect the same where you are. I don't know if you have weasels in Louisiana. We don't in Florida. If they were in a pen. It appears from your pictures your wire is 2x4. Were the birds secured in their coop/cage when they were killed?
View attachment 2321235
I have electric wires around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates, and heavy duty netting covering all of the pens, all due to losses from predators in the past. Good luck...

Concrete under gates... Thank you for showing me the way!

 

[cmom]

I had a fox dig under a gate. It killed several birds and as it killed them dragged them back out under the gate during the day. I heard the birds fussing and went out to investigate and there was the fox. It won't be digging under any more of my gates.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Could be rats. Have you found holes inside the run? I actually dread going to the chicken house in the morning and when I put them up. I'm scared I will find one of them dead. I lost 2 this year. My BB Red hen, Brownie had an egg problem and I think Peppie, a mix between two OE and she came out looking almost like a silver sebright. I think she died of a heart attack. She was pretty peppie and ran all the time.