Please help---mystery predator ravaged my little flock. I'm devastated

[tcstoehr]

Until you know otherwise, always suspect raccoons first. You will be right most of the time.
They will dig up dead flesh, for sure.

 

[bleu chick]

I agree with tcstoehr, always suspect raccoons.

We thought our coop was predator proof until a small coon squeezed in above the door which had a 2" gap. We went to let them out in the morning to find 2 ducks attacked and 5 hens. There was blood splattered everywhere. Each hen had a few bites taken out of their thigh area. I still had one injured duck alive, so I took him to the vet. He had to be put down. The coon had torn his beak tendon and the Vet said he would never eat again. So sad because he had defended his 2 girls (one survived). I had him verify the coon attack by showing him the bodies and he agreed.

I have never had problems with possums attacking not saying that they don't but I have in the city and they probably have to much to eat here. We have had hawk attacks but it was on a houdan hen which have that top hat of feathers and they cant see anything around them. I got rid of them after that attack.

In the past 2 weeks I have had 3 attacks during the day. I live on an acre but I am very much in the city (15 miles from Downtown). 1/4 of the acre is very wooded but it is all fenced (6 foot chain link with 2 feet of barb wire). My chickens hang out on half the acre.

Occasionally I trap possums but its just to keep the population down.

The attacks are to the top or bottom of the tail. One was a 2 1/2" cut below the vent. Some innards came out and eventually she died. Today, FOUR were attacked. 2 of my small Campines that are just 7 month old and 2 Cinnamon Queens. One Cinnamon Queen just past and she had no external injuries. Another has puncture marks (like a cat claw) under her wing near the rear. One of the Campines is torn open about 3" above the tail exposing the bone. I doubt she will make it and that's why I am on here. I fear a feral cat that sometimes hangs out on my property. He comes and fights with my female cats that are spayed.

I have set traps tonight and I am thinking about sitting back where my chickens hang out normally to see what comes through there. When we went to give treats all the chickens were hiding and then we found feathers. Upon further inspections, there were feathers in about 10 different spots. All the attacked hens were hiding under things.

I am going to post the info of my attacks under a separate message. If anyone has any pointers or words of wisdom, I would appreciate it. I currently have 3 hens in a dog kennel in my kitchen. I fear 2 will pass in the night as their injuries are fairly substantial.

 

[Jajika]

Hi CrazyTalk:

Thanks for writing.

The door was still attached, but it fell open. It was the paver that was moved away. Sorry I was not clear.

It has been a very, very sad couple of days. I still have my moments. Every time I go to the back yard, of course I see their yard. However, as I said in another post, I'm not getting new chickens until I can totally reinforce this current set up much more secure. It will take some time and planning, but have to do it. Obviously what I thought was safe...and had been for 12 years...is no longer suitable.

Plan now is to draw up a project using hardwire cloth over the top about 15 feet up and on all sides. I have 2x's now. You can see the old set up....sort of. There is poultry netting over the trees, which obviously won't work. The red predator lights seem to do the trip for 12 years. Use to see raccoons run all over my yard and never go near the chicken yard. Well, so much for that these days with all the construction and the draught. They are desperate for food. These photos are the current yard, not the yard I have planned to build. I will use this existing framework as the posts are in. But will be reinforcing all sides, plus digging down to put the hardwire cloth into the ground and bending it out, as suggested.

 

[golly molly]

after my chickens were attacked , I set a havaheart trap out and put the poor hen in that he killed as bait. Never came back to the dead hen . My hens were sitting on some eggs. Had to put them in an incubator. So far four hatched, one lived a day and died, something was wrong with its back end, so I did not think it would live. I guess that was why those two hens got killed, they would not leave the nest. I live in Pa. near amish country and my neighbor had what she thought was fox chase her dog right to the front door in daylight. Later they learned it was probably a coyote. apparently they are coming in our area. Always preditors to watch where chickens are concerned. That neighbor keeps trapping so I got lax in watching that I had the door locked up before da rk. I have to say over the years we have had the most problems with raccoons . some chickens I was able to save from wounds but most were killed.. I hope you get your culprit. we purchased one of those game cameras you attach to a tree at walmart. . not expensive. it really works but have not seen that bugger since. good luck donna

 

[Jajika]

Hi golly molly:

Thanks for writing.

Sorry to hear about your little eggs that didn't hatch well,. Sad.

Finally realized it was a raccoon. They seem to out more all over these days.

I already own a Haveaheart trap...large enough for a raccoon. I also manage feral cat colonies and use it trap, spay/neuter and release the cuties.

I did bait and put the trap out like you as weel, but no luck. Too late now anyway.

What really devastated me besides the savagery of it all, is that I have not had a raccoon attack in 12 years! Boy, this really, really hurts.

Fortunately for me, my one remaining girl, Chloe, was taken in by a very dear friend that has a fortress of a chicken yard. . Chloe and their top hen got into it a couple of times, and now have found a truce. She is doing great there and I am so relieved. The next day, after the attack and Chloe was alone, it was easy to see she was sad and depressed. She just sat under a bush, totally without any animation. I was sure I was going to lose her to a broken heart. As soon as I released her to my friends flock, she perked up and stood her ground. She's now right at home....thankfully.

And, I have a big, empty chicken yard. However, it will get completely refurbished with hard wire cloth over the chicken wire dug deep and bent out underground. All the plastic netting I put on top to keep the hawks away will also get replaced with hard wire cloth...two layers. The gate will get replaced with a door. I will have more 2x's on the side that doesn't have them now. The four fruit trees inside will need to be topped again, but can't be helped.

Obviously I thought my girls were protected, but things have changed and it's up to me to do a better job, which I will. I desperately want chickens again, but won't get them until I have rebuilt my yard. The pictures here are what I currently have. It will be interesting, when it gets done to have a before and after. But you can see how much work I have to do.

I've heard about the game camera and I plan to get one. Great idea. It will be interesting, even though the chickens are gone, to see what's going on out there.

Below is what I will rebuild using the framework I have, obviously.

Geri in Northern California

Thanks again. It feels good to get this stuff out.