Poultry Predator Identification

[Red Banks]

Wait for him, then shoot him.
Meanwhile, don't let them free range.

Clutter Cottage told me on another thread to use human urine. I told him I would have to drink a lot of beer to take care of 20 acres but I have given his suggestion some thought and decided if I did drink that much beer I wouldn't care about the fox. It has been two days without the loss of a chicken. I let them out for only a couple of hours before roosting time but it is nerve wrecking. I am always running every time I hear a commotion.... and it is usually just a young rooster harassing the hens. All the neighbors are trying to help solve the problem. I have some huge piles of trees, stumps, and debris, I had an excavator clear an acre for pasture. I haven't burned them and they probably make a great place for a fox den. I am going to burn them and eliminate that possibility. We are going to use leg traps, a box trap and of course anything we else we can think of. This little creature has singlehandedly ruined my chicken world.

 

[ChickenPooDo]

I forgot to latch my coop the other night and something got in and got 7 of my hens. I feel horrible! We had 13 total. It was like a bloody massacre. None were in the coop, 2 were dead outside untouched, one was mutilated near horses about 10 yards away, another was quite a distance away on the other side of property line. 3 bodies we never found, we scoured our 5 Acres and the neighbors and only found a few feathers. I think bobcat or fox. I bought a cross bow the next day out of anger and I WILL have my revenge. Put a dead chicken in the coop with gate open and the rest of chickens in a crate in house. Ran a wire from gate to office about 30 yards away, so can pull gate closed and trap predator and so far after 2 nights of a stake out nothing has shown it's face. I'm prepared for night 3 tonight. My poor babies seem shell shocked, the survivors we found hiding in the bushes, they didnt even want to come out for me. My brown leghorn disnt show up till almost noon, have no idea where she had been. One barred rock has a wound on her side and not sure she will survive. She's still alive after 2 days. They are all going to have PTSD

 

[slordaz]

I forgot to latch my coop the other night and something got in and got 7 of my hens. I feel horrible! We had 13 total. It was like a bloody massacre. None were in the coop, 2 were dead outside untouched, one was mutilated near horses about 10 yards away, another was quite a distance away on the other side of property line. 3 bodies we never found, we scoured our 5 Acres and the neighbors and only found a few feathers. I think bobcat or fox. I bought a cross bow the next day out of anger and I WILL have my revenge. Put a dead chicken in the coop with gate open and the rest of chickens in a crate in house. Ran a wire from gate to office about 30 yards away, so can pull gate closed and trap predator and so far after 2 nights of a stake out nothing has shown it's face. I'm prepared for night 3 tonight. My poor babies seem shell shocked, the survivors we found hiding in the bushes, they didnt even want to come out for me. My brown leghorn disnt show up till almost noon, have no idea where she had been. One barred rock has a wound on her side and not sure she will survive. She's still alive after 2 days. They are all going to have PTSD

would clean her wound and use wound kote on it.

Clutter Cottage told me on another thread to use human urine. I told him I would have to drink a lot of beer to take care of 20 acres but I have given his suggestion some thought and decided if I did drink that much beer I wouldn't care about the fox. It has been two days without the loss of a chicken. I let them out for only a couple of hours before roosting time but it is nerve wrecking. I am always running every time I hear a commotion.... and it is usually just a young rooster harassing the hens. All the neighbors are trying to help solve the problem. I have some huge piles of trees, stumps, and debris, I had an excavator clear an acre for pasture. I haven't burned them and they probably make a great place for a fox den. I am going to burn them and eliminate that possibility. We are going to use leg traps, a box trap and of course anything we else we can think of. This little creature has singlehandedly ruined my chicken world.

if ya have live traps I would suggest trying that, we weren't seeing any signs of what was taking my year old hens took that and we found out what it was right away once live traps were set, signs were all over the board for 3 weeks about what it might be. Turned out to be a pack of 6 feral cats hunting together.
Using a dead bird might not work. Anything from the weasle family will kill more for sport

Redbanks don't give up, just remember it shows you flaws to correct, we've all had those experiences I lost 9 hens to attack this year and the chickens do get over it, we are having more problem letting them free range still but within a month they were ready, did affect 1 of the hens laying for quite a while though.

 

[Shadow920]

there is a fox in my neighborhood. it hasn't killed any of my birds yet. it discovered them at a point when it already had a meal. but it saw my birds and i am afraid it will come back. my birds will be secure in their coop tonight but i want the fox gone. does anyone know the best bait for catching a fox aside from sacrificing on of my birds.

 

[Shadow920]

i had a possum get in my coop. it killed three chickens, but the first victim was a barred rock who survived. the back of her was completely gone yet i put her in a cage and not only is the injury now just a small bald spot but she gave me an egg the same day of the attack. do not underestimate your rock. they are a tough breed. mine healed perfectly without me having to doctor it. do not give up on her!

 

[ChickenPooDo]

My Barred Rock survived! For two days straight she didn't eat. I found her collapsed, her face mushed into the side of cage and thought she was suffering so I told my husband we need to put her down. He took her out back by the shed and when he set her down she stood up and clucked at him. He brought her back and said are you sure, she stood on her own. We kept her in the house and used betadine on her wound. It's been 3 weeks and today is the first day she is spending part of the day outside with the others. I told my husband she is his chick now cause he saved her after I gave the kill order.

 

[sirrahm]

Honey is a wonder healer if you are keeping her in... Not the best if she is out in the elements because it draws bugs. Has natural antibiotics and sugar helps to heal the skin.

 

[TalkALittle]

Honey is a wonder healer if you are keeping her in... Not the best if she is out in the elements because it draws bugs.  Has natural antibiotics and sugar helps to heal the skin.

Make sure it is raw honey otherwise don't bother at all. Most commercially available honey you find in the supermarket has been pasturized and so the enzymes that provide the antibacterial properties have been destroyed. Raw Manuka honey is best for wounds but is pricey.

 

[slordaz]

Make sure it is raw honey otherwise don't bother at all. Most commercially available honey you find in the supermarket has been pasturized and so the enzymes that provide the antibacterial properties have been destroyed. Raw Manuka honey is best for wounds but is pricey.

another usually less pricy option is check for local bee keepers. we found one we trade eggs for every once in a while when we need raw honey. trading off works pretty good

 

[Shadow920]

My Barred Rock survived! For two days straight she didn't eat. I found her collapsed, her face mushed into the side of cage and thought she was suffering so I told my husband we need to put her down. He took her out back by the shed and when he set her down she stood up and clucked at him. He brought her back and said are you sure, she stood on her own. We kept her in the house and used betadine on her wound. It's been 3 weeks and today is the first day she is spending part of the day outside with the others. I told my husband she is his chick now cause he saved her after I gave the kill order.

yeah barred rock are tough. don't underestimate them.