It's not been a good year for my chickens

[Chickybaby]

It started in June when my son's Cochin disappeared - we hoped she had wandered off to set a hidden nest, but sadly she never came back. And it hasn't gotten any better. So far I've lost 3 Dark Brahmas, my Buff Brahma roo, my Lt. Brahma roo, 2 Lt Brahma hens, 2 Dk Cornish hens, 2 Maran hens, and a Dominique roo

. It's heartbreaking and frustrating all at once. I have had my chickens for a couple of years and haven't had anything like this until now. I hadn't even lost a chick. I used to let them free range during the day, being careful to lock them up at night, but I had to stop letting them out altogether. I thought maybe a hawk was snagging them as there has been no evidence of a struggle anywhere, but my neighbor says it's probably a coon

. I guess it doesn't really matter now, I haven't lost any since I stopped letting them out. I can also say that they have all but stopped laying since they can't get out. It bums me out but I don't know what else to do - it bums me more to lose them one at a time. I'm not really looking for answers anymore, I just needed to tell someone how sad it is. I didn't know I would get so attached to these birds! Thanks for listening

 

[Bantam Bodon]

Thats too bad. We had a similar problem early this year and a few nights of trapping caught two raccoons. We haven't lost one since. Maybe you could set a few traps?

 

[silkiechick236]

So sorry to hear about you're precious babies.

 

[damarisgw]

Have u tried setting out live traps ?
I've caught 3 possums and i live in the city !

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I am sorry for your loses.. I have only been a chicken keeper since July.. One of my pullets died (a few weeks after we got them)--we don't know what happened-- and one is not doing well, now-- It is very heartbreaking... I hope you can catch your predator...

 

[EweSheep]

It has been a rough year for most of us!

 

[onthespot]

Sorry to hear of your losses. Sometimes things can go on idyllic for months or even years on end, then once a predator finds out the "mother lode" of free chicken meals, they just keep on going thru the drive thru, then around the block, back through the drive thru and so on until you secure your birds or lose everything. So sorry for what you lost. Those were some nice birds.