predator getting my chickens through 2x4 wire. no sign of entry???? what do you think it is

[joshyoua_rine]

I have lost a total of 4 adult bantams and 2 chicks in 3 days. On sunday i noticed something had dug about 2 inches under a small
half inch wire covered brooder and got a hen and 2 chicks. Then sometime between last night and this evening i went to check my
other large 2x4 wire covered pen and was missing 3 adult bantams with no sign of entry.

my question is what predator do you think it is? i am quite puzzled as to what would remove 3 birds through 2x4 wire and leave only feathers with no sign of entry and no carcasses. my guess is a small family of racoons

 

[Joshua G]

It could be a weasel.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Raccoons can pull them through the wire. Also weasels and rats can get through anything but 1/2 inch hardware cloth. For diggers you can apron out some hardware cloth (google hardware cloth apron) or bury it.

Where they sleep has to be coated and covered in hardware cloth wherever there are openings to be a Fort Knox coop.

 

[joshyoua_rine]

i thought about about weasel but to my understanding i thought they only eat inards and not whole birds???

 

[Cetawin]

The losses could be caused from any number of predators. The problem that need to be fixed are as follows:

1. Secure all opening with hardwire cloth with no larger than a 1/2 inch opening. (i.e.: All sides, top, bottoms etc)

2. Pens on ground level that can be dug into need 1/4" or 1/2" hardwire cloth covering the ground and coming out on a 2' perimeter to stop digging.

or

Coop them

Anything larger than 1/2" opening means lost birds.

 

[joshyoua_rine]

it was a racoon

 

[smedly9921]

Racoons are smart as hell. Set some have a heart traps with marshmallows or tuna fish, capture them and kill them. The trap will prove an easier meal than your chickens, they will get trapped then you MUST KILL THEM. If you live in a city and cannot shoot them them fill a rubber made tote with water and put the whole cage in, wait five minutes dispose of the carcass as far away from you house as possable because the dead animal will attract other unwanted predators. This will work, it works for me, when i first started i lost plenty of chickens to coons now that i have traps set all the time i loose none.

 

[joshyoua_rine]

Steel foot traps are very affective, but they are not picky lol. i already had a marshmallow in a live trap and the raccoon didnt take the bait.

 

[farnorth]

Sounds like a weasel to me. They will carry the birds away and stash them in their burrows.