Went out to lock up the coop shortly after dark last night to find three birds missing. One was hiding in some bushes near the coop, and one was ambling around in the dark trying to find a place to bed down for the night. Strange because they usually put themselves to bed every night. Never did find the third bird. This morning when I went out to let the girls out of the coop into the run, I was hopeful that she had just misplaced herself last night and would be waiting happily at the run door to go in and have some breakfast. Instead of finding her, I found two piles of feathers - one right outside the coop and one about 15 yards from the coop. Didn't find the carcass anywhere nearby.
I last saw all 9 birds last evening around 5:45 playing happily in the backyard, but since they didn't put themselves to bed like normal, that tells me that whatever predator did the damage came between 5:45 and dusk or was close enough to give the birds pause and make them take cover and not chance going to the coop for bed. We've had 'yotes and foxes around before. Don't think a hawk (unless it was a really BIG one) could carry off a fully grown buff orp hen but maybe I'm wrong. Same with an owl. A coon would not take the carcass along would it? Same with a skunk, and we don't have possums that I know of in northern Colorado.
My money is on the 'yote or the fox. What do you guys/gals think? Whatever it is, I'll be waiting with a 30-06 at dusk this evening.
I last saw all 9 birds last evening around 5:45 playing happily in the backyard, but since they didn't put themselves to bed like normal, that tells me that whatever predator did the damage came between 5:45 and dusk or was close enough to give the birds pause and make them take cover and not chance going to the coop for bed. We've had 'yotes and foxes around before. Don't think a hawk (unless it was a really BIG one) could carry off a fully grown buff orp hen but maybe I'm wrong. Same with an owl. A coon would not take the carcass along would it? Same with a skunk, and we don't have possums that I know of in northern Colorado.
My money is on the 'yote or the fox. What do you guys/gals think? Whatever it is, I'll be waiting with a 30-06 at dusk this evening.
