Lost two girls last night but don’t know what did It....

[Cherylanne]

We have two coops inside of a large run. We close the coop doors every night. Sometimes the older girls manage to slide their door open with their beaks. But this is rare. The run is completely enclosed, With wire fencing and It is sunk into the ground in most spots. This morning the door was slid open. Three girls sleep in that coop and two were dead. One inside the coop. The other clearly put up a fight as there were her feathers everywhere. She was outside the coop but still in run. But were ripped at the neck but heads still in tact. When we went in this morning the third girl came running down from coup. The only issue we have are. Tunnels through your but we only see small chipmunks and the occasional mice. Any ideas on what could get in? And then out. There is,was, a small opening on top of the far end the fence. Maybe a foot wide by about 6 inches where the wire fence didn’t quite reach the wooden fence. It has since been sealed completely. We are soooo sad!!! These were two of our oldest girls...

 

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2

Sometimes the older girls manage to slide their door open with their beaks.

Your door does not sound secure.

The run is completely enclosed, With wire fencing a

What kind of fencing, how large are th openings?

chipmunks and the occasional mice.

a weasel can get in those same small spaces. this carnage sounds like weasel to me.
I am sorry for the loss of your birds.

 

[mike48851]

sorry to hear this. I just lost a bird two nights ago. They are all only 13 weeks too. I got busy doing something Tuesday evening and forgot to close the run and coop up at dark. One of my ISA browns gone...a trail of feathers off into the fields...won't forget to close that up again...I always manage to learn the hard way. I have set up a trail camera. im assuming this predator is going to return at some point for another meal...

Sorry for your losses...its not a good feeling..

 

[Cherylanne]

2

Your door does not sound secure.

What kind of fencing, how large are th openings?

a weasel can get in those same small spaces. this carnage sounds like weasel to me.
I am sorry for the loss of your birds.

It was raining hard last night and when we closed the door I’m afraid some of the bedding was in the track and there may have been a small opening we didn’t notice. That’s how they open It. Not a mistake we’ll make again. The wire fencing Around the whole run is about 3 square inches, but the entire lower 3 feet is double lined with small mesh fencing. About an inch or less. And that is dug into the ground. But we have a lot of tunnels recently. I’ll have to research weasels.
Thank you

 

[mike48851]

and I agree, it sounds like the coop door isn't very secure. I have 2 locks on my coop door. And a lock on the run door. I use the welded wire fencing, which I've heard bad and good about. And I use the hardware cloth for all the window and venting areas on the coop.

 

[aart]

And that is dug into the ground. But we have a lot of tunnels recently.

Are the tunnels going under the buried fencing?
Rats are great tunnelers....and weasels can use their tunnels too.
Rats and weasels can climb well, so the 3" squares above are an 'open door'.

Pics of your coop and run might help.
Also....
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.
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