Lost a chicken

[funnmomm]

What kind of animal pulls a chicken through the fence and leaves the head. So sad chicken was so lovable. We now are down to six chicks. Going to incubate some new eggs starting on the 3rd of may think I already lost my first batch of eggs, cant see any movement but some eggs i can't see through. so we'll see.

 

[Capvin]

The sad part is that there are so many predators that can do what you describe. If the spacing in your fencing is large enough to fit a paw, claw or anything else through it will grab your chicken and pull it through. Chickens are curious and when something comes around their run they will evenyually go up to investigate and, boom, off with its head. Rebuild using hardware cloth to avoid those problems.

 

[mmktdox]

I had a racoon do the same thing last year, it killed two and injured two others so badly we had to put them down. Those holes have to be really small. Sorry for your loss

 

[JiJis hens]

How sad. I'm sorry for your loss. Take precaution to avoid another tragedy.

 

[CherylR]

So sorry for your loss! I had a duck pulled partway under a chicken wire fence and eviscerated ( and then some...ugh!) last year by a raccoon...an awful sight to behold, let me tell you. I had thought that the fencing was secure, but saw where there was just the smallest gap under the fencing that the raccoon was able to get his grubby little claw under and pull my poor little duck out, well almost out. Yes, a fence material with very small holes like hardware cloth is a good idea, and be sure there are no gaps at all...even small ones...under the fence. I also had raccoons pull chicken wire out from a post and get in the coop! I remember someone on BYC said that chicken wire is only good at keeping chickens in, not keeping predators out! So true. I have reinforced my chicken wire fence since then with a hardware cloth layer on the lower part and I'm always checking the perimeter like a sentry....my husband thinks I'm a nut-job! lol