Lossing chickens night after night

[gsim]

Sorry to hear of your bad news.

With the missing heads I thought of a coon. But then, you say you cannot see how it is getting in so maybe weasel? Weasel needs 2" space max. They are blood suckers.

Some rodents go for sardines or tuna. Coons go for marshmallows.

Coop & run security before trapping, if it happened to me. Be sure to stake trap down well whichever kind is used.

 

[alpinefarm]

Quote:
I actually saw with my own eyes a weasel coming thru a steel vent in my coop in which it had chewed a quarter-sized hole, 1" diameter!

Plug all holes before you worry about finding the weasel!

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I trapped a weasel with a normal Jaw Trap in my run, after finding one dead hen. I baited the Jaw trap with bacon grease spread on the pressure Plate. Tied the trap to one of the fence posts, positioned Trap where it had dug under the gate to the run, after locking up my chickens for the night in their coop. in the morning to my surprise was one dead mink!

please understand I don't just kill animals, I used to feed all kinds of animals in my yard before I got Chickens. However I must protect them, and after finding this one had dug under the gate, there was very little recourse for it. I felt terrible about finding it in the trap but the other side of me says, if he had not been the one digging into the run, he would have never found the trap.

 

[alpinefarm]

Quote:
When I build my chicken yard, I put fencing material 12" underground and I also fortified the gait area by putting cinderblocks into the ground where the gait swings shut. But also, I always close the coop tightly at night, trap door and all. Battened down like a padded cell! The critters don't seem to come anymore now that easy meals aren't available.

 

[quailraisingMan]

pb&J only attract mostly bugs..

 

[gsim]

Quote:
I actually saw with my own eyes a weasel coming thru a steel vent in my coop in which it had chewed a quarter-sized hole, 1" diameter!

Plug all holes before you worry about finding the weasel!

I can believe that. My son has twice seen rabbits crawl through his chain-link fence.

 

[Buttercupp]

After reading all of your posts I think you must be correct. It must be a weasel. I cant see how a racoon would get it.
Although I haven't lost ANY since I posted. I've not caught anything in the live trap either so I'll kep trying. If I figure it out I'll post again!

Thanks
It's a heat wave in Maryland today 47!!!

 

[team_realtree]

Look into a cheap walmart "trail camera'" us hunters hang them by our deer stands to see what deer are working the properties. They are triggered by movement and take clear night time images. About 100 bucks for a bushnell brand one at wal mart. If you hung that around the coop it shouldn't take you more than a week to figure out what it is. Then you can work on trapping or whatever.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Quote:
When I build my chicken yard, I put fencing material 12" underground and I also fortified the gait area by putting cinderblocks into the ground where the gait swings shut. But also, I always close the coop tightly at night, trap door and all. Battened down like a padded cell! The critters don't seem to come anymore now that easy meals aren't available.

Me too! So locked up they have given up. Lots of hard work & elbow grease to build a pen, but after that night after night of peaceful sleep with no fear of predators. It's the best!

 

[gsim]

Quote:
When I build my chicken yard, I put fencing material 12" underground and I also fortified the gait area by putting cinderblocks into the ground where the gait swings shut. But also, I always close the coop tightly at night, trap door and all. Battened down like a padded cell! The critters don't seem to come anymore now that easy meals aren't available.

Me too! So locked up they have given up. Lots of hard work & elbow grease to build a pen, but after that night after night of peaceful sleep with no fear of predators. It's the best!

Ditto here. I had already read enough in this segment of BYC to know that I needed two lines of defense and not one. 6 ft steel welded wire fence set in cement and with fence-charger. My gate is like Alpine farm has and is also electrified. Be careful where you touch it! Coop like Ft Knox and locked down at dusk every night. Never a worry about night- time preds.