Name that predator...please

[ellenscoop]

PoultryDVM has a predator identifier tool which is useful for this

 

[Belott]

Dan, first off welcome to BYC!!

I too am in East Texas over near Crockett. You had a visit from a raccoon and I am willing to bet the other chickens escaped the coop the same way the coon got in. They were/are scared as all get out!!! They may show back up once they have calmed down.

Like has been stated 1/2 inch hardware cloth (19 gauge- good; 16 gauge- better) properly affixed will keep most critters out. 1/4 inch hardware cloth generally is not as strong as 1/2 inch. Find where the coon got in. Look your coop over with a fine tooth comb.

Good Luck

David

 

[DaniTX]

Dan, first off welcome to BYC!!

I too am in East Texas over near Crockett. You had a visit from a raccoon and I am willing to bet the other chickens escaped the coop the same way the coon got in. They were/are scared as all get out!!! They may show back up once they have calmed down.

Like has been stated 1/2 inch hardware cloth (19 gauge- good; 16 gauge- better) properly affixed will keep most critters out. 1/4 inch hardware cloth generally is not as strong as 1/2 inch. Find where the coon got in. Look your coop over with a fine tooth comb.

Good Luck

David

I live in Neches. The chickens I had were only about 9 weeks old. I don't think they could have gotten out of the pen. The only way a predator could have gotten in was through the top that would have been too high for my chics to get up to. It's about 7' high. On my lunch I went home to check for tracks. I really didn't see any outside the pen or inside but there were two indentations that were almost round shaped and a little larger than a quarter. I saw my neighbor too and he said he heard a bobcat Late Monday night when he was walking his dog by the front of my property. The animal I saw (even tho it was dark definitely wasn't a coon. It's gate was more like a cat, not the loping run. I went and bought a bunch of 1/2" metal cloth and will be working all weekend to secure it tighter than Fort Knox or possibly relocate to closer to my home, I hadn't decided yet.

 

[DaniTX]

Well, I haven't been able to trap the bobcat yet but my new coop is coming along great. Also my eggs just started popping today!!! Sooooo excited!!!!!