More problems :(

[georgialee]

I had two chickens taken last week while free ranging... so I stopped letting them out of their run. Now I've had one taken out of the run. It's a 6 foot high 10x10 dog kennel with the coop inside of it. The only sign of the bird is some feathers by the door to the coop. She was taken sometime before 10:30 at night (we have fireworks here labor day weekend, so we closed them in later than usual). She was a speckled sussex (and the others that I've lost were a maran and a welsummer), so a fairly large breed. I would think much too big for a hawk to carry off. Any ideas?

Also, their food was knocked over but not eaten so that makes me think it wasn't a racoon. DH is putting his game camera up there today. Hopefully we'll figure something out.

 

[mgw]

sorry for your loss. it still could be a coon just going for the meat and not the feed. good luck hope you figure it out before you lose anymore!

 

[KBChicks]

I think using the trail cam is a great idea!

Sorry for your loss, good luck finding out who did this....

 

[CJ Otay]

Probably that crazy guy from the store stealing them to breed them.

 

[georgialee]

Quote:
hahaha! seriously!

 

[chicmom]

Oh, let us know if you get the culprit on video.....I wonder if it could have been a great horned owl? Also, it could be a raccoon, or even a fox......I've got a Speckled Sussex, and they are large......I would attach some hardware cloth over the top of the kennel, so your chickens will be totally enclosed.......

 

[AnnainMD]

Do you have a roof over your run?

 

[georgialee]

I forgot to say that we think it was a raccoon. We didn't have a roof on the run... but now we do. My husband acutually saw one go in the coop to get some eggs. We think there's a whole family of them

 

[chicmom]

OH, those coons are something else! Glad you got the roof on. Now you don't have to worry so much if you don't get home before dark. Right now, in Ohio, it's starting to get dark alot earlier. Last night, it was almost dark and I realized "OMG, I haven't closed up the coops!" I've gotta start paying attention.......My excuse is, that my new puppy is distracting me from the chickens.....