Neighborhood Predator picking off entire flocks!

[Deweberbr]

Hey all.. My neighborhood needs help! We have many neighbors with backyard flocks and one by one we are being picked clean! One of mine was the first to be taken. Not sure if it got out and was picked off or if it was taken. We got back from vacation and noticed one missing and when we reached out to the neighbors we found feathers everywhere in the backyard of someone close. We heard one of my neighbors hens get picked off in the middle of the night one night and then about a month later 3 others were all dead in one night. She said there were tracks, feathers, and pieces everywhere throughout the coop. About 3 blocks away another person said her flock of 4 went missing and she never found them. I still have the rest of my flock (4) but I'm worried about them. We built our own coop and run (Fully Enclosed) since the first hen was taken, so they are pretty safe *I think* but I do notice lots of dig marks around the outside edge every morning when I go to check them. I'm just afraid whatever the predator is has figured out he hit a jackpot in our neighborhood and won't stop! Any tips or tricks to know of? We are a neighborhood on the edge of the country in Northwest Oregon!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hey all.. My neighborhood needs help! We have many neighbors with backyard flocks and one by one we are being picked clean! One of mine was the first to be taken. Not sure if it got out and was picked off or if it was taken. We got back from vacation and noticed one missing and when we reached out to the neighbors we found feathers everywhere in the backyard of someone close. We heard one of my neighbors hens get picked off in the middle of the night one night and then about a month later 3 others were all dead in one night. She said there were tracks, feathers, and pieces everywhere throughout the coop. About 3 blocks away another person said her flock of 4 went missing and she never found them. I still have the rest of my flock (4) but I'm worried about them. We built our own coop and run (Fully Enclosed) since the first hen was taken, so they are pretty safe *I think* but I do notice lots of dig marks around the outside edge every morning when I go to check them. I'm just afraid whatever the predator is has figured out he hit a jackpot in our neighborhood and won't stop! Any tips or tricks to know of? We are a neighborhood on the edge of the country in Northwest Oregon!

Gotta protect them good now that this predator has found them. You really need to see what you are dealing with---you said fresh digging----any fresh tracks? If you all would go together and get a Big trap that has a live bait compartment in one end---put a live chicken in it and might could catch it. I have caught Many bobcats with this type of trap. But bobcats usually kill several in a few minutes----try to cover most then leave with one and come back the next night for the others----which are usually already picked up by the owner so they kill again. Also maybe you can use a monitor and sleep in your clothes with your gun loaded and lite ready---get to the coop asap and get him??

 

[Zoomie]

Tracks - tracks of what? You do not say. What about scat (droppings)?

You need to figure out what the animal is, and it sounds like it's left you some clues? Maybe you could share those? It sounds like yours are safe *so far* but you are so right, if you don't figure this out, there will be no chickens left in the neighborhood.

 

[thomasboyle]

If you have access to a trail camera, I would put it out pointing at your coop. Hopefully it will let you know what you are up against.

 

[Deweberbr]

I have not seen tracks left in my area... My neighbor said she didn't know what they were that were left in her coop. She said it was a chaotic massacre in there! We have been battling what I believe is a Raccoon in our front yard that comes to poop in our barkdust landscaping literally EVERY NIGHT! I looked up what it looked like and it seemed to match what raccoon scat looks like. So I believe it's possible that it's a raccoon. Someone told my husband to pee in that area to ward off the raccoon from coming back and marking my husbands territory! LOL Haven't done that yet obviously! We've thought about putting a trap out just weren't sure of what to put in it. I would hate to traumatize one of my girls by using live bait.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hey all.. My neighborhood needs help! We have many neighbors with backyard flocks and one by one we are being picked clean! One of mine was the first to be taken. Not sure if it got out and was picked off or if it was taken. We got back from vacation and noticed one missing and when we reached out to the neighbors we found feathers everywhere in the backyard of someone close. We heard one of my neighbors hens get picked off in the middle of the night one night and then about a month later 3 others were all dead in one night. She said there were tracks, feathers, and pieces everywhere throughout the coop. About 3 blocks away another person said her flock of 4 went missing and she never found them. I still have the rest of my flock (4) but I'm worried about them. We built our own coop and run (Fully Enclosed) since the first hen was taken, so they are pretty safe *I think* but I do notice lots of dig marks around the outside edge every morning when I go to check them. I'm just afraid whatever the predator is has figured out he hit a jackpot in our neighborhood and won't stop! Any tips or tricks to know of? We are a neighborhood on the edge of the country in Northwest Oregon!

It sounds to me like you and your neighbors have a K9 (likely a dog or coyote) preying on your flocks.

 

[PD-Riverman]

We've thought about putting a trap out just weren't sure of what to put in it. I would hate to traumatize one of my girls by using live bait.

To start with, None of my bait chickens appear to have any ill effects from sitting in a trap at night. Its dark so they do not see a lot. The next morning you place them back in the coop. They are just doing their part to save the rest. They will be more traumatized when something grabs them off the roost or hears the hollering from the chicken beside them. I always remove the bait chicken before I "remove" the predator so the bait chicken does not get a bang in its ears. That is what the predator wants is some good Chicken for supper----what better to bait the trap with???? This is the trap I am talking about. Mine is home-built, but this one should work fine. http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...-16-in-w-x-58-in-l-x-25-1-2-in-h?cm_vc=-10005