Name that predator

[Chickens run]

I woke up this morning to a dead hen. The coop is a stall in the barn, lined with chicken wire at the top and hardware cloth at the bottom. The attached run in enclosed with welded wire fencing with 2"x4" openings and is covered with aviary netting. The predator went into the coop because there are feathers everywhere in there, then the trail goes out the coop door to the back corner of the run, where the young hen was partially pulled through the fence. There are no areas around the fence that have been dug up, it went through the fence. Her head (pulled off) and wings were pulled through the fence, body still inside as she would not fit through. Partially eaten. She was less than a year old, and mama tried to help her because her feathers were in the mix as well, but she survived. I know we have coyotes and foxes in the area, and have killed two possums in the barn/run when it was left open too late. Last night, however, the run was closed. I just can't figure out what is small enough to fit through that opening and kill a hen. I'll be reinforcing it with hardware cloth ($$$$$) and putting out some live traps.

 

[Chick Flic]

Sorry to hear you lost that young chick. When I was young we had a predator that was small and we couldn't figure out what it was until we waited up late one night. It turned out to be a weasel. Large rats are known to attack small chickens and can fit through tight holes also.

Hope you catch the predator!

Peter
Chick Flic

edited by staff

 

[Chick Flic]

It might be a weasel or large rats have be known to attack small chickens and they can also fit through tight spaces. As a boy my chickens were getting attacked and there heads bit off. I waited up late one night and had to kill a weasel that was fitting through a hole I wouldn't have believed possible. Good luck!

Peter
CHICK Flic

 

[aart]

Weasel or rat.

 

[Chickens run]

This is gross, but I'm sure you all have seen this before. Here is the baby. Her head and wings are pulled through the fence. She has been partially eaten, not much blood anywhere. Her head was not eaten, but it was pulled off.