Predator

[QuailRaiser]

Hey all
One of my quail died this weekend, they are on 1/2 inch hardware cloth off the ground. he is missing a leg and half his wing is gone. there is also damage on the head. i'm thinking the wire is to small to pull a foot and leg through. any advice/help?

Cheers
Finn

 

[Chicken-Farmer]

Sounds like a racoon, opossum, or skunk They basically tried to pull him through the wire. I would enclose the underside of your elevated cage. Get yourself a pellet gun, a flashlight, and a comfortable vantage point. Take that thief out.

Chicken-Farmer

 

[dc3085]

I saw an owl reach its foot through 1" chicken wire and pull a dove right back through the hole in one piece out of a friends aviary. If a predator can get a hold of anything it will try to pull it all the way. Rats are notorious for chewing off coturnix toes that dangle through the wire. My neighbors cat has the same idea so I have two layers of wire about 6" apart on my wire floored cages. There is the 1/2" hardware cloth the walk on and then whatever sturdy wire I have laying around I make a second lower wire floor. That way nothing can reach its head up to get a hold of any birds.