My First Loss to a Predator

[Lady J]

The beautiful, sweet, brown feathered soul in my profile pic got taken by a predator last night. It is my first loss, and it would have to be her. I just want to curl up in the fetal position and mourn. Happened last night. My guess is either a coon or a possum because it had to climb up into the pen. It is on a concrete slab, so no way for anything to dig under and in.

 

[CaliforniaPeeping]

I am sorry about your loss. I'm pretty new to chickens but I like mine a whole bunch and would also be devastated if something bad happened.

 

[PollyGirl21]

I'm sorry for your loss
Some things you can do to prevent future losses in the coop:
If you have chicken wire, switch to hardware cloth. A coon can easily reach through the holes of the chicken wire. Hardware cloth is much safer.
If your run doesn't have a roof, put one on.
Check your coop for any places where predators could get in and patch them up.
Good luck with your flock, and once again, I am so sorry about your hen.

 

[bruceha2000]

That is horrible! What did her body look like? Coons almost always eat only head, neck and crop. I assume you have other chickens, beware and prepare ... the predator will be back. Soon.

 

[92rslt1]

Yea, I lost one too this week and it's inferiorating. My guess is raccoon if there were feathers and obvious signs of struggle. Otherwise if it just disappeared I would say owl.

 

[IamRainey]

So sorry! It really hurts, doesn't it?!

Happily, there are people here who understand how you feel and will support you until you can remember her with pleasure again.

 

[IamRainey]

I'm sorry for your loss
Some things you can do to prevent future losses in the coop:
If you have chicken wire, switch to hardware cloth. A coon can easily reach through the holes of the chicken wire. Hardware cloth is much safer.
If your run doesn't have a roof, put one on.
Check your coop for any places where predators could get in and patch them up.
Good luck with your flock, and once again, I am so sorry about your hen.

Good advice! I'm trying to eliminate some rats who got into my run. It's been a nightmare because I can't see evidence of their activities in the dirt floor of the run so I haven't been able to set the traps where they are effective. I can only see them hulking in the rafters after dark.

Sooooooo much easier to make it predator-proof in the first place.

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera, put it up. More than likely since it killed one bird, it will be back. Several years ago Something was killing some of my birds. I couldn't figure out what because I couldn't figure out how it was getting into the pens. It was an owl. I put a bird in a cage and put a game camera out focusing on the bird in the cage.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am so sorry for your loss but yes the killer will be back

 

[centrarchid]

Cuss a little, maybe a lot, then start making your pen more difficult for predator to get into. Hopefully you have done something already, but be ready to intervene if predator can still get in. Most of time the predators activity result in at least some noise production by chickens. If ccop not yet secure going into night, then I have moved birds on many occasions to a location that is secure like a garage, closed up shed or even a dog kennel on front porch.