KILLING AT NIGHT AND DON'T KNOW WHAT ????

[ARKYGFARM]

I had two guineas on two separate nights get killed. The first one, all we found were just a few feathers and the second, part of the body with lots of feathers. I checked these on their roost in a tree after dark and again before daylight in the morning. When they have been killed they were gone from the rooster well before daylight. Am I having a problem with a raccoon or an owl? Thank you. Oh yeah, all are put up now in coops.

 

[CumberlandView]

I'm so sorry. This same thing just happened to me. Killed the entire flock in only one night (5 hens, 1 rooster). I feel like Sherlock because I've been investigating to figure out just what the varmint is and therefore how to stop this from happening again. I found some very small holes which I thought were from water run-off but I now believe could have been dug. They are only about 2.5" in diameter. Then there was some scat in the coop itself.

Anyway, after all my surmising, I've decided it was a weasel. The bad news is since they can climb and there is no top on my run (Guinea fowl fly in and out to roost), I may have to rebuild almost from scratch. Ten years of this set up and this is the first time I've lost birds.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm so sorry. This same thing just happened to me. Killed the entire flock in only one night (5 hens, 1 rooster). I feel like Sherlock because I've been investigating to figure out just what the varmint is and therefore how to stop this from happening again. I found some very small holes which I thought were from water run-off but I now believe could have been dug. They are only about 2.5" in diameter. Then there was some scat in the coop itself.

Anyway, after all my surmising, I've decided it was a weasel. The bad news is since they can climb and there is no top on my run (Guinea fowl fly in and out to roost), I may have to rebuild almost from scratch. Ten years of this set up and this is the first time I've lost birds.

Sorry for your loss, and

 

[ARKYGFARM]

Apparently the weasel (haven't thought about one of those) is either getting the bird off the roost or flushing it off the roost while it is still dark. Sometimes the only evidence is a few feathers and sometimes part of the carcass and other times there is no evidence at all, just a missing bird.

 

[zazouse]

An owl will flush them from the tree then catch them on the ground, seen it happen at my place a couple times, lucky for my birds the dogs sleeping near by awoke and intervened the minute the owl tried to catch the guinea.

Last time an owl came threw i had over 50 guineas running around on the ground, screaming their heads off, thank god i do not have neighbors and my home is well insulated making it pretty sound proof ncause my DH would not have gotten any sleep that night.

Sorry for your loss

 

[olafhardt]

A great horned owl wiped out almost my whole flock. They roosted outside. Once I started locking them in the coop at night it stopped. I never found feathers unless the chicken got away. The owl methodically took one chicken per night. I now have a dog that watches after the chickens.

 

[ARKYGFARM]

An owl was my first suspect. I can trap raccoons or weasels or just about most anything else, but how do i deal with an owl? I realize I can keep everything penned at night, but I was hoping to let some of my guineas & chickens free range and roost in trees. Any suggestions how to eliminate the presence of the owl culprit? Thank you and thank you to everyone that has replied to my post.

 

[CumberlandView]

An owl was my first suspect. I can trap raccoons or weasels or just about most anything else, but how do i deal with an owl? I realize I can keep everything penned at night, but I was hoping to let some of my guineas & chickens free range and roost in trees. Any suggestions how to eliminate the presence of the owl culprit? Thank you and thank you to everyone that has replied to my post.

While I share your vision of free ranging/tree roosting sadly, I no longer think it is a good idea. There are simply too many predators and in your case fighting off an owl with tree roosting birds is probably not going to be possible (if anyone disagrees, I would also love to hear a solution). Believe me, I don't like this either but I've started penning my birds up at night for the first time in 10 years after losing the entire flock. I've noticed the predators are becoming more plentiful and bolder. My Pyrs are amazing but can only do so much. I think I'm out of options.

Also, would you share any tips for trapping? I've had a Hav-a-hart trap set up for over 3 weeks now with every kind of bait I can think of but no results yet. I know once a predator kills, it will return so I must catch the darn thing.

 

[ARKYGFARM]

Basically all I set out are live traps. I've also set one "weasel box" (google weasel box for plans). I did catch a cat in one of my live traps within 50 ft of my chickens today. I'm not familiar with their method of operation when killing chickens or guineas. Could a cat have gotten my guineas in the manner I described? Actually, I'm believing I have an owl issue. Does anyone know how to eliminate an owl legally?

I want to thank everyone who has viewed this thread and responded. I am brand new to BYC and you are most helpful and informative. Great community to be a part of. Thanks again.