Mystery predator...give me ideas as to WHAT did this

[Stingrayg4]

Quote:
My guess as well. I've lost a lot of chickens to raccoons. I can manage to keep just about everything else at bay but raccoons are apparently smarter than me.

-S

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Trust me, my coop design is born of BYC reading lessons and personal experience with LOTS of "small" predators (raccoons, possums, skunks, neighbor's dogs etc. No bobcats, coyotes or bears yet....)
Thought I had them locked up pretty safe (no losses in over 6 months) and then I got a dang egg suckin skunk that could fit it's little self through the welded wire, and saw a BABY possum stealing feed the other night (adults can't get in) and that one incident where the roo put himself in a bad position recently. I'm not gonna stress over the possum, but the skunk HAD to go!!
You are right, the hardware cloth is EXPENSIVE which is why I don't have it. The coop was built in a hurry and is somewhat temporary - I intend to move soon. My next pen will be designed better from day one, instead of built up after losses, and hopefully it will be at a more permanent home so I can invest more money in it.

 

[Cetawin]

Tala is right. You need a secure completely walled in coop, all openings covered in 1/2" or 1/4" hardwire cloth...the chicken wire is useless...it keeps chickens in and absolutely nothing out.

Any opening that you can stick your finger into...close it off. Coons have dexterity as good as any human...they can unlatch latches and stick their paws in and use them like hands. Sorry you are learning this lesson the hard way. Good luck to you.

 

[nnbreeder]

If you could also post the general area of the country that you are in it would help those here help you out more. Different areas have different predators.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

DELETED, posted twice! Didn't think it posted the first time.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

After losing too many chickens we broke down and covered about a 8x12 run right off the coop with hardware cloth, top and sides. That way they would'nt be stuck inside the small coop until I opened it in the morning, plus, got tired of killing skunk!