Predator in daylight on my deck

[SunnySkies]

Lost my second bird ever today (not bad for a year at this place). We left for an hour, and I found a wing, a foot and a few entrails on my deck, under the gazebo, when we returned. It was a young rooster that was an escape artist; I keep the young birds in a moveable pen with a cover over top of it. I had to take the cover off today because of the horrific storms rolling through. And he apparently had escaped while I was gone.

What kills a bird in broad daylight like this? I have adult LF running around at the same time, all free range, in our backyard. We lost an adult Silkie roo about a month ago to what looked like a predator; all we found were a few feathers and a messed up fence.

I have seen and heard a couple hawks recently, and once in a while I suspect a coon comes up on the deck at night to pilfer from the compost bin behind the house. Never have seen a fox, and we don't have coyotes and bears and things like that. The neighbor (about 150 yards away, no other neighbors) has dogs but the dogs do not care about poultry. IME, dogs don't kill just one chicken either. We would have come home to devastation if it was a dog. The birds were calm and relaxed, so I did not think anything was wrong until I saw the feathers.

I want an LGD, hubby is fighting me on it. I'm hoping this guy died quickly and didn't suffer too much. Now to prevent further losses of the young stock and bantams. Tomorrow the cover goes back on the pen.

 

[KrisH]

I would place bets on the hawk as the culprate. not sure the dog would help much for those.

Sorry for your loss

RobertH

 

[SunnySkies]

Several folks have told me their dogs chase the hawks when they swoop down. Not sure how accurate that really is, but to pen up 50+ birds....that is a huge undertaking.

I'm going to try CDs, a hawk kite someone gave me to see if that helps make the hawks rethink their territory, making sure there are more places for the chickens to hide, and always covering the young birds' get-to-know-you pens. I think the hawks may be nesting in our woods, which does not make me happy at all. I'm also thinking once this group of youngsters grows up, I might not get a big group of chicks for a while; the few in the house can go out in a tractor or a small pen when I am ready to move them out. The hens are trying to hatch some, but the roosters the hens are with are super good, so I don't worry too much about them.

My main breed is a good sized bird at adulthood, so hopefully once I get everyone to that point, that will help.

 

[EsKezzy]

Mid-day, I've seen raccoons, hawks and owls.
In the evening/early morning, I've seen possums.