lost my favorite rooster

[Red jungle fowl88]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44243_5.jpg
This morning i went out to feed my birds and i found red laying half in the pen and half out. there was a 1inch gap between the bottom of the door frame and the pen frame itsellf seems like a racoon grabbed him and tried to drag him out and couldnt so he ate what he could so sad and disapointed. he was a 4 month old red jungle fowl real fine blood line to im looking for another any body know an trustworthy breeders over the internet?i fixed that gap so it would not happen again i hope.

RIP RED

 

[Kennyog]

Sorry about your loss.Happens to everyone sooner or later.Coons are the main cause for chickens losses.They can rip a hole in chicken wire like it's made from paper.

 

[Red jungle fowl88]

what should i do to protect my flock completly

 

[warmwater]

Get hardware cloth. It does cost more, check different stores in your area for prices. Some people use electric wire, strung at different heights, you can do a search on it. You can set a trap. Lock them up at night.

From what I've read on the forum.......a racoon will be back for another meal.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Run at least one hot wire around the outside of your pen (6" off the ground) after you put hardware cloth or run sheet metal about 2 ft. high along the bottom of the pen so racoons cannot reach through the fence. Better to replace the chicken wire completely. It is useless against predators. Lock up your chickens at night.

So sorry for your loss. He looked to be a fine rooster.

The racoon WILL be back, and sooner than later.

 

[gsim]

He will return for sure. I did 2x4 welded wire 6 ft tall, set in cement. Then I put 24" tall chicken wire INSIDE at ground level to keep chooks from poking their heads thru. Hardware cloth is better, but 4 times the cost. Pen is 2000 sq ft so chooks seldom near to very edge, knowing they cannot reach grass or anythinbg else outside. I electrified mine with a Zareba brand 5-mile charger, 4 KV. It has 4 strands of hot wire starting at 8" and ending at 42". Mine get locked in every night at dusk and let out at daybreak. No exceptions, and so far, no casualties in 5 1/2 months I have had them.

 

[DWH]

Predators are not good to have and well, THEY JUST TICK ME OFF!

O.K. I'd put a perimeter fence (wood) up and reinforce the wires, Next lock the door to your coop and pen. Racoons can be very smart and persistent. I'm really sorry I recently lost my rooster too, I hope this helps. By the way

 

[greathorse]

If you are able to have a dog they can sure help keep the predators away. You then of course have the issue of the dog and making sure the chickens are safe from it. I simply have had no predators on the place since keeping the Aussie on patrol .

 

[sian]

Hi - sorry for your loss. I recently lost my main roo too.

I have a horse boarding barn and spent several months in a war with a raccoon over dry cat food. I swear it was the cleverest creature, it figured out how to remove bungie cords from aluminum trash cans, how to open the tack room (that has round door knobs), how to get the food out of a coon trap without springing the trap. They are devious and come back every night once they figure out a food source. Then they are determined and dexterous and if there's a way to get in, they will. SO my advice is to think of every way to prevent them and then think some more - sorry!

My problems only stopped when the racoon got squashed by a school bus on our road.....

I have large dogs and it even sneaked around them.

 

[magentamomma]

I lost my favorite roo to a coon that was drawn to my pen by the smell of blood after a dog attack. So sorry.