Lost half my flock

[Stargeer2]

Hello all! I'm devastated.. I just got back home from a couple days away and discovered 5/8 of my chickens missing. Feathers around the run suggest a struggle, but there's no blood or bodies anywhere. I thought the coop was pretty secure. I have a 6' tall chain link fence in a circle with one side being the wooden coop itself. I had a 7500 lumen double light that turns on at night to try to scare off predators, and bird netting over the top to stop any unwanted visitors. I can't find where anything would have entered, but alas 5 chickens are missing, including our favorite rooster. My wife is even more devastated.. the three that are left look terrified, and are hiding in the top of the coop which makes it even harder. My question: what do we do now? How can we support our presumably terrified chickens? And not that I can get any chickens currently since I live in NY, but should I get more? And on a side note: anyone have any good advice for consoling my wife as well? It wouldn't be as hard if I didn't know how devastated she was as well...

Thanks all!

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Stargeer2
Welcome to BYC.
Sorry to read about the loss of half your flock while you were away.
Chain link fencing even when dug into the ground at the base is not a secure fence for chickens.

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry for the loss of most of your flock.
Your setup is far from secure, but you know that now.
We have weasels, fisher cats, coons, opossums, bear, coyote, and raptors to deal with. The first 4 on the list would be my prime suspects as they can easily scale your fence and push the netting aside to grab a bird. Or if the birds were out in the run when the attack occurred, a coon can reach through the fencing to grab a bird.
You will need to lock the remaining birds in the coop at night for their safety provided you do not have similar security issues with your coop.
If you post pictures of your set up, better advice can be given. In a nutshell, you must have no opening larger than 1/2" anywhere in your containment. That means hardware cloth, not chain link.
As for your wife, there isn't much to do other than tackle the security issue so that you know that you've done everything you can to protect your remaining flock so you don't have to worry about them.

 

[AmyJane725]

Great advice from @DobieLover

As far as your wife goes, I'd hold her and cry with her. Let her know that you're just as upset about it as she is (or at least that you understand her feelings if you're not as broken up about it). Tell her that you two will work together to protect your remaining chickens, and that it's going to be ok. You could aslo mention that she can look forward to some adorable little babies to fill out your flock again when the time is right. Maybe research some breeds together and pick out some that she'd be excited about.

That's what I'd want my husband to do (if I had one...)

 

[ocap]

@Howard E has a wonderful thread (explanation) on electric fences. My experience with poultry is one of multiple failures and then dust myself off and think of a way to make what I have even better and stronger.

Welcome to BYC.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Morning. Very sorry for you and your wife's losses. I would try to get your wife's mind off what was loss and on helping the remaining babies well being. Chickens moarn the loss of missing flock mates just like people and need help getting over the fear of what they went through. I know it doesn't replace what is gone but it might kick her motherly side and help her see past your guys losses. Lots of hugs!!!

 

[aart]

Feathers around the run suggest a struggle, but there's no blood or bodies anywhere.

Then there is a hole/gap big enough to drag a chicken thru...might not be a gaping open hole but a place where mesh is overlapped but not connected.
Sorry for your losses, it's a shocker for sure to be mourned while fortifying the coop and/or run.

 

[Stargeer2]

Now I'm a little embarrassed to post it, but in the essence of protecting my chickens, here's a picture of the set up. I was already planning on building bigger and better, so what is your advice so I can make this thing a fortress?

 

[aart]

I'm not seeing any netting over top of run?
Curious how it attached to coop itself.
Chain link panels have gaps at rounded corners.
Were birds kept inside coop run combo.....or was that kept open to chain link pen?
Was anyone checking on birds while you were gone.

Oh, it might also help knowing....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Stargeer2]

I'm not seeing any netting over top of run?
Curious how it attached to coop itself.
Chain link panels have gaps at rounded corners.
Were birds kept inside coop run combo.....or was that kept open to chain link pen?
Was anyone checking on birds while you were gone.

Oh, it might also help knowing....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1844103

I updated my info in my profile, but to post it here as well, I live in Western NY. Not the city, but the rural area of ny, about an hour away from Niagara falls. I do have bird netting over the top, but I think I'm going to put chicken wire over that. It is attached to the coop with zip ties and rebar at the bases. However on closer inspection, there is probably more space than I should have between the coop and the chain link. The chain link itself is meant to be a kennel, and has a bottom bar, and appears pretty sounds, but apparently has to big of holes and openings in the chain itself. While we were away, my wifes' parents were watching them, but of course they weren't there all the time. We left them an opening to get to the run from the coop since that's where their water is.. a gross oversight on my part as I thought the run was more secure than it actually was...

My current plans so far are to put chicken wire over the top, not just netting. I'm going to put an apron all around with 2' wide pvc coated wire fencing 2" x 3" openings to prevent digging. And I'm going to put hardware cloth around the base: 4' up on the chain link to prevent coons from reaching in and grabbing chickens. Then I'm going to go over the entire area and try to make sure there aren't any openings big enough for a predator to get in.. any other thoughts?