Predator is getting in

[Jurassic Wolf]

The second one we know went missing around 5:14 AM-ish the first one, we don't know about. We are in a suburban part of nj and there were know remains anywhere.

 

[50-45-1]

The wooden building looks secure. How about the bottom of the cage. Is it wire or open to tbe grass.
If its open to the grass that is your week area.
I see there is a walk way up and into the building. Make a secure door there so you can block that access to any chicken eating critter during the night.
Open in the morning , close in the evening.
If this is a neighborhood prankster of the human kind, this will not help.
Have any of your neighbors voiced objection to your chickens?

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

There is a hardware cloth bottom and we do lock them upstairs at night

 

[True Patriot]

Is your yard secure? It's beginning to sound like it may be two legged. Most predators will leave some kind of evidence they were there. Holes in the wire, digging, feathers, blood. And usually there are some remains within the general area. It appears that whatever is getting in, is closing up when it leaves. Is there any possibility of the coop being accidentally left open on the days in question? Personally, I've had a couple of times I forgot to close the pop door. Luckily, nothing visited on those occasions. Before we go through the next level of interfering neighbors, eliminate the possibility of simple human error.

 

[True Patriot]

One other possible check. Premade coops are notorious for not being perfect. With the latches closed. Try opening the doors and any assembly joints. Check corners like the top/bottom of the door on the latch side. And the lift door on nesting boxes. Sometimes there's enough flex to allow a significant gap to open. If you can flex anything and create a gap larger than a golf ball a predator can get in, and out. Don't underestimate the strength of some predators. Raccoons especially are strong for their size.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Though I cant see where access was gained, my guess would be a snake.

 

[centrarchid]

This one would be fun to use a game camera on.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

What are the bungee cords for? Are they there to hold down the top of your coop? It would be child's play for numerous species of varmints to lift the lid on this coop, crawl in snatch a chick, then force its, way back out of the coop's top, with your chick in the vermin's mouth.

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

It was definitely locked up... We had a camera set up and at 5:14ish it was knocked over. The weird part though was that it was knocked face up. If it were a human it would probably have been knocked face down right?

 

[Jurassic Wolf]

The bungee cord on the top is because the top opens up, so hopefully it won't think to chew through them... :I