Poll for those who have had chicken deaths

[JessMcg]

I'm right in the city so our main predators are raccoons, possums, and hawks. Our only 2 predator deaths we were pretty sure was from a raccoon. I've also lost 1 to sour crop and 1 from an infection from a soft shell egg breaking inside her.

 

[intrigue899]

I just lost all of my birds to a mink. In the past I’ve also lost hens to foxes, one even died from a mysterious disease. I’m curious to know what other people have had the most trouble with. Select any of the things below that has killed a chicken of yours!

 

[intrigue899]

one to a dog and one to a hawk

 

[lkgerr1]

I just lost all of my birds to a mink. In the past I’ve also lost hens to foxes, one even died from a mysterious disease. I’m curious to know what other people have had the most trouble with. Select any of the things below that has killed a chicken of yours!

I went out this morning and lost 2 hens to an ermine (pretty weasel but still a weasel). First predator loss. I'm heartbroken. And putting up yet more hardware cloth.

 

[JAMarlow]

Lost two to a raccoon that got into the coop at night before I could get an automatic door put up. Yes, that door is up and I love it.

Someone in a past thread mentioned that it's always your favorites that get killed. No kidding. Had 10 hens, 2 killed, and of course one of them was my favorite and friendly girl, Nova. :sniffsniff:

 

[Tonyroo]

I lost roughly 28 potential chickens at varying ages the last 2 years. From foxes, neighbor's dog, bobcat, and a feral cat.

 

[LGegzna]

Raccoons and Mareks have been my top killers. A family of raccoons got 11 pullets and 4 ducklings. I got my furbearers permit and got myself 4 raccoons. Mareks has also claimed many lives, even my vaccinated girls. It’s been really tough.

 

[oldhen2345]

I have lost hens to hawks, opossums, racoons. We also have owls that I hear in the trees at night. Had one wait after daylight for me to open the coop for the day. I just watched him until he flew off- about an hour, then let the hens out. Also have had the neighborhood cats stalking the pullets- but the large hens kept them safe.

 

[pony007]

I lost my gorgeous Jubilee Orpington "Flashy" to the heat. She was very large and incredible fluffy and just couldn't take the heat wave of multiple days past 110 F. I had misters, shade, and ice in all the waters, but it was just to much for her. She was only 1.5 years old

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Bobcat x 1
Fast moving mystery illness x1

I’m kind of surprised at how many deaths have been caused by bobcats in this thread. So much for rare and elusive!