lost 3 of 5 layers

[planker]

I read the predator post, thank you. it explained most of them!

Here is a description of our setup.

There is a fenced pen, with 4x2 galvanized fence under the bottom, covered in sand, and 6' high sides. it is about 12' x 12' square, and there is a coop with a wood floor that closes up tight.

I used to close the ramp at night and open it in the mornings, but after a while with no losses i started to leave it open at night (mistake).

I fenced around the coop / pen (2 sides of the coop) but did not fence the other 2 sides so things can get under the coop, but not in the coop or pen. This is also a mistake I should have fenced all around the coop base as well.

so after a successful first year and 5 happy laying hens, i started letting them roam the yard during the day then close up the pen at night.

they always came in to their perch at night.

the first casualty was found dead in the front yard in the afternoon - no injuries, no missing feathers. I presume this was a dog - but the bird was almost pristine and still warm when i found her and no dogs have been seen in our yard for a while.

the next one was probably a raccoon, found the next morning pulled the top half off through the fence and left the legs and bottom stuck in the fence. found a wing about 100 feet away in an open part of the yard (towards neighbors house, they have cats but don't think it was a cat)

then a large hooded skunk was seen lurking under the coop at dusk. but no skunk smell and no losses, she couldn't figure out how to get in and had been digging around for a couple days.

that was a week ago. the skunk has not been back.

now this morning, i had the pen closed up but left the ramp open at night as usual. some predator had climbed the fence, gone into the coop, taken a bird out and over the fence.

feather trail everywhere in the coop and up and over the fence and blood on the fence.

i am guessing a fisher did it because they are around. i dont think it was a cat or raccoon - but i am open to better guesses if you have any!

what would climb a 6 foot fence, go in the coop, take a bird back out and over the fence and away? did not find any "parts" anywhere.

we are in the woods in southern NH so the predators are many.

this means changes to make today - a top for the run, and probably closing the coop at night. Also will fence around the entire coop and lower part of the fence (2"x4" galvanized) with chicken wire to keep the 'raccoon reach - ins' from happening.

do most of you close up the coop tightly at night? Up until last night this had not been a problem. assuming now that it has happened, whoever did it or more of their kind will be back for more.

thanks for reading

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sorry about your losses.

I always lock them up at night. I figure that is when the predators are most active. As you are very aware, predators do not come in every time you do not lock up, but it is almost inevitable that they will some night.

 

[AHappychick]

so sorry

yes they will all be back for more. you c an either secure run (like you aid) or just lock them up tight in coop part every night.

As for the day attack probably a hawk or something from the air that was spooked when you came close which is why the bird was still warm and untouched.

You may want to keep an eye out these next few days and see what is flying overhead cause hawks always come back.

As for the ones climbimng is, could have been a coon, possum, or even an owl that flew in and waled up the ladder into coop, and then flew out.

set a few traps and dispose of whatever you catch. DO not release any possums or coons as you are just dumping the problem onto someone else.

Good luck, and again I am sorry for your loss.

 

[AHappychick]

oh I like your green feeder where did you get it?

 

[chicks4kids]

I close up the coop every night and I also set a trap every night.

The trap is not near the coop (I don't want to draw attention) but in the beginning I was trapping every other night...now, not so much once a week maybe.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
wait so the last one was killed with the coop closed up?

sorry I must have mis-understood.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

It could be any that you mentioned. Coon, fisher or posum.

You were lucking the last year not locking your girls up at night but now your place and chickens are on someone's menu and they will continue coming back to get more.

There will ALWAYS be preditors wanting our chickens. Our job is to take away all food sources so the preditors will look elsewhere.

ALWAYS lock up your girls at night, don't leave out pet food, wild bird seed, spilled chicken feed, compost.

I would suggest hardware cloth instead of chicken wire to put over your 2 x 4" welded wire and apron it out to prevent diggers.

 

[mxpres]

another thing that may help you would be to install electric fence around the bottom and top of your run,,sorry about your loss,seems as everything that prowls at night wants to eat chicken,,,good luck with your next flock

 

[Bizzybirdy]

>>what would climb a 6 foot fence, go in the coop, take a bird back out and over the fence and away? did not find any "parts" anywhere.<<

A RACOON!! And I would use smaller wire on the bottom of your run, chicken wire is useless, and also put a strand or two of hot wire around the outside. The latter stops most predators...except flying ones.

The inside of your coop looks really nice.

 

[planker]

thanks for all the great feedback. closed them up in the coop last night at dusk. this morning there were tracks and dig marks all around the perimeter inside and outside the fence. and the chickens are very scared it seems. but all there.

i agree sweet cheeks, i must have been very lucky the first year - also I did lock them up for quite a while, then decided it was pretty safe around here. then i started letting them roam the yard during the day - that worked well up until the one mysterious death which i now believe was a dog, although i did not see it. that bird was really unharmed, not a feather out of place, though quite dead. the largest of the 5. we were also in the yard at the time and didn't hear or see a thing.

Ahappychick -

the green feeder is a bird feeder, i just had it lying around and decided to try it with the chickens. works pretty well but I may go to a traditional feeder (easier to load

pricey... got mine at a yard sale.

http://www.amazon.com/Heritage-Farm...2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1251766414&sr=8-2

i raked out the sand this morning and if there are fresh tracks tomorrow i will snap some pictures and try to identify them.

not yet ready to trap but it will come to that if i lose another bird.

rumor in the neighborhood is that there are fishers, or bobcats. there are many missing house cats in the area.

so far in the back yard i have seen with my own eyes:

deer
a fisher, who walked in front of the motion light one night at around 10 pm - otherwise i would never have seen it
a hooded skunk, under the coop at dusk - although it did not smell at all before or after he left
large black birds who sit on the fence by the chickens, ravens or crows
many turkeys
two very large birds up way high in the white pines during the day, who i studied and think to have been turkey vultures...
and a very large, slow porcupine.