Need to ID Potential Predator

[ChickenDuckQuail]

Hoping someone can give me some insight into what did this to my chicken run. I was gone for two nights and came home to one of my eight hens wandering the yard. Expecting the worst, I ran to the coop. The other seven hens were in coop. Everyone was fine. There was a nesting box full of eggs and a full feed bucket. The only suspicious thing is this hole in the chicken wire and the chew marks on the wooden post. Any ideas?

 

[BlueBaby]

I don't know what it could have been, but my guess is that whatever it was will be back. Chicken wire only help's to keep the chicken in, but it does nothing to keep the predator's out. You need to attach some of that 1/2-inch hardware cloth wire on it. If you are wanting to find out what critter did that, put up one of those camera's to see.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Where do you live? Are there any feral dogs in your area? How high off the ground was the hole and are the chew marks fresh? Was there any other damage in the immediate area? Any scat nearby?

 

[Geena]

Seeing how the chickens were not hurt I would guess a raccoon. A dog, fox or coyote would not leave without killing some or all of the chickens. A skunk, opossum or raccoon might be satisfied with just the feed and eggs.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I don't know what it could have been, but my guess is that whatever it was will be back. Chicken wire only help's to keep the chicken in, but it does nothing to keep the predator's out. You need to attach some of that 1/2-inch hardware cloth wire on it. If you are wanting to find out what critter did that, put up one of those camera's to see.

I agree @BlueBaby! Since it looks like you might already have a wood frame for your run @ChickenDuckQuail, you should be able to wrap the whole run in hardware cloth. Depending on where you live, you might also consider some electric fencing (for example if your area has bears). The game camera is also a great idea. There are loads of great examples of how to harden the security of your coop and run on here. Lots of people include helpful info in their “my coop” section of their profiles. when you can, please post some additional pics of your setup and the area around it.

 

[ChickenDuckQuail]

I agree @BlueBaby! Since it looks like you might already have a wood frame for your run @ChickenDuckQuail, you should be able to wrap the whole run in hardware cloth. Depending on where you live, you might also consider some electric fencing (for example if your area has bears). The game camera is also a great idea. There are loads of great examples of how to harden the security of your coop and run on here. Lots of people include helpful info in their “my coop” section of their profiles. when you can, please post some additional pics of your setup and the area around it.

Thanks for the tips @Farmgirl1878 and @BlueBaby We had some hardware cloth on hand, so we put up what we had available. The camera is going up tomorrow.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

its a smart predator to break in at the seam from the post. probably a raccoon with that small bite span. it will be back. I second the hw cloth and electric fence
welcome yo BYC by the way.