Official BYC Poll: The Worst Predator

[debc2000]

I lost all 6 of my chickens on one night and only one was ate the other bodies where left in the coop, for me to find the next morning. The local fish and game person said that it was a weasel or mink. I've lost chickens to dogs and coons but they take the body and eat. it having to clean up mangled chickens is the worse part of predation.

 

[Kedreeva]

I cast for raccoons because they are skeezy, theif-pawed little bastids... They learn very quickly how to open doors or pry apart coops or even reach in through the wire to grab a bird and gnaw on it while its still kicking and screaming. At least with most other animals, adequate housing provides protection- a roof for the hawks, fencing for the dogs... but if there is an ounce of gap in your fencing, they will pry it apart and they kill more than they will eat when they come around.

 

[whogroomer]

I just lost all 6 of my 5 week old flock to the neighbors dog. It gutted one, and just killed the others with no marks. Almost like it was playing with their corpses. My kids are so upset, my 5 yr old cried herself to sleep. Whats frustrating is that I just build an outdoor pen for them to run around in while we were at home. I used that PVC coop material, like coop wire, but plastic. I will never use that again, the dog tore through it. Whats odd is that the holes in the pen are in no way big enough for the dog to fit through. She must of tore open several holes, and waited for the chickens to try to escape. Then pounced them. I got home and it was like a CSI murder scene. I just wish my kids didn't see it.

My neighbor addmited it was her dog, and payed me for the cost of the birds. I had feared that her dog might get loose, as I have had problems with their dog pooping all over my yard in the past, but I didn't think their dog was such a vicious killer.

I'm really bummed. Now I need to find new birds 2 RIR, 2 Barred Rock, and 2 easter eggers. One of which was absolutely beautiful.

 

[deerman]

So far the % are a surpise to me. agree with the top 2 ......but would think the dog would be alot higher..looks like most people on this forum, have lost birds to dogs, of course alot have been their own dogs.

 

[flower]

Quote:
I did this and I think that it did work because I never saw the dog bother with the chickens after that. I have lost birds to possums and racoons.

 

[huntercf]

I think the worst predator is probably the one that gets your chickens whatever it is.

 

[rchucks]

knock on wood, but the only thing we've lost is some food to chipmunks.

 

[HorseFeathers]

You forgot the Fisher cat.

 

[frogsong]

For us it's been mainly the coyotes with a close second being the bobcats.

Interestingly enough, we have a whole family of red-shouldered hawks that live in our yard and have been for about 3 years. Just had the two newest babies fledge in fact. But they have never bothered the chickens.

 

[TajMaChicken]

I lost 3 chickens last summer to a neighborhood stray dog. So I have to say they are a big problem, however I have a new foe - bobcat. I lost one of my drakes Friday. He just disappeared...no sign of anything...no feathers....nothing. Well today (Sunday) while cooking breakfest (some beautiful Welsummer eggs) my DH runs to get his gun yelling the "the bobcat just got the other drake!"

The four girls just quacked and quacked, calling for them. I have locked everyone up, but the hunt is on for the bobcat.