Losing my chickens

[McChooky]

If a Raccoon can reach in the cage and get hold of one it'll try to yank it out of the cage .The wire will cut them into. If you found your chickens bodies in the cage it was probably a coon. You need 1/2" Hardware cloth attached over the openings of your coop.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

If a Raccoon can reach in the cage and get hold of one it'll try to yank it out of the cage .The wire will cut them into. If you found your chickens bodies in the cage it was probably a coon. You need 1/2" Hardware cloth attached over the openings of your coop.

Yes, we are going to get hardware cloth to go over the hog wire. I think I need to redo the coop in it as well. Chicken wire is just not as durable. Still haven’t figured out what kind of animal it is yet. Need to check the game camera today. Thanks to all who have given advice and suggestions.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens contained. Anything can break through it. If the coop only has chicken wire also then I suggest fixing that immediately before your entire flock is gone. Closing the door will do absolutely nothing if any openings are covered with chicken wire.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Agreed. Unfortunately lesson learned too late. I’ve had chickens for years and never had any problems like this.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Yes, we are going to get hardware cloth to go over the hog wire. I think I need to redo the coop in it as well. Chicken wire is just not as durable. Still haven’t figured out what kind of animal it is yet. Need to check the game camera today. Thanks to all who have given advice and suggestions.

Looked at game camera and saw a possum. Going to set a live trap and see if we we can catch it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you catch it then kill it. Do not haul it off and release it where it can become somebody else's problem.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am sorry you are having to deal with this. Most of us have been through this. It's part of the learning curve and is the dark side of the joy of having chickens. You'll get through this. We're here to help.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

Last year this happened to one of our Hens in the run. I found her under a tree in the run. We do not have possums or coons. Been here 10 years. The one I found was missing the whole neck and head but, not any coons or possum. One critter was feed on ours at 2 pm in the afternoon. I count birds through out the day in the run. If all are not present I check the coop asap. The one feeding on her was a different type of squirrel last year. This one was not scared of people like the other squirrel we have had over the years. I am out on our deck watching most of the day and evening. I also can see our girls through our sliding door so I'm always watching. This is the only one over the years. This happened around June last year. She wasn't even a year old yet. She was one of our hatch girls in 2020.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

If you catch it then kill it. Do not haul it off and release it where it can become somebody else's problem.

That’s my plan. If we can catch it. Does anybody have any idea where possum sleep during the day? Such has hole in the ground or in a tree.

 

[McChooky]

Last year this happened to one of our Hens in the run. I found her under a tree in the run. We do not have possums or coons. Been here 10 years. The one I found was missing the whole neck and head but, not any coons or possum. One critter was feed on ours at 2 pm in the afternoon. I count birds through out the day in the run. If all are not present I check the coop asap. The one feeding on her was a different type of squirrel last year. This one was not scared of people like the other squirrel we have had over the years. I am out on our deck watching most of the day and evening. I also can see our girls through our sliding door so I'm always watching. This is the only one over the years. This happened around June last year. She wasn't even a year old yet. She was one of our hatch girls in 2020.

Squirrels will steal your eggs too.