Predator gnawing thru chicken wire

[Heartforchickens]

My chicken coop is secured with chicken wire top to bottom. A night in December, something gnawed through the wire and got inside. I found my one and only Golden Campine dead, but with no visible marks, only a tuft of feathers beside her. The hole the predator gnawed was about six inches long. Does anyone know what animal would kill and not eat or try to remove the chicken from the coop? It has not returned since--thank goodness.

 

[Bantimna]

Welcome!

It sounds like a raccoon, though I'm not so sure. Try putting up a thicker wire or make sure the whole run area is closed.

 

[rearrolled]

snakes and it could be any think it might have been spocked and ran away a snake kiled my isa brown not long ago is there any bight marks if so how big

 

[patman75]

Sounds like a raccoon.

Chicken wire does not keep chickens safe. Updgrade to welded wire or hardware cloth.

 

[dsqard]

I am not sure what predator it might be but can I suggest hardware cloth for the bottom part of your run? It is a lot more sturdy than chicken wire. Sorry to hear about you losing one of your birds.

 

[Roy]

coon, use welded wire or hardware cloth. Chicken wire will not keep them out...

 

[NoelTate]

Same thing happened to me. After the third time something tore through the chicken wire and I lost almost all my birds, I got rid of the pen and am working on getting a new coop built with galvanized hardware cloth. Not many things are more sickening than coming home or getting up to find all your birds in the coop dead and a big hole torn in the wire.

 

[Bantimna]

Quote:

 

[bakerjw]

unfortunately as you have learned, chicken wire is for chickens. At a minimum use 1/2" hardware cloth on all exposed openings. I personally use 2 layers separated by at leas a 3/4" board. That keeps the raccoons grubby little paws out.