predator

[duckie97]

I am looking for some help and unfortunately I don't have a lot of clues to go on. All the info I have is what I'm about to give. I had my three 6 month old hens out in their run, the run was not finished about half way up it was open (my husband's doing) something got in one evening I want to say around 5:45 pm. It was a cloudy day so it was a little darker than normal. I came out to find my black australorp dead under the coop and my one hen squawking loudly. My dead hen had a lot of feather torn off her and she was ripped open around the neck area I didn't look close enough to really check bite marks and to even see if her head was still attached to be honest I was crying too much. I didn't see the culprit I thought I heard something run away but not sure. Now I live in the city of Virginia Beach but I know we do have foxes and things running around here. Also my neighbors cat who is pretty small but does eat little birds. I set a trap in the run with the run door open using canned chicken breast & nothing. (Took my girls inside for a few day) next night tried raw chicken livers & still nothing. Last night put my girls back out in their coop set the trap outside the coop and run with the livers and still nothing. My questions are does anyone have any ideas as to what predator I might be dealing with and if so how should I go about catching it? Thanks for any ideas you may have to help.

 

[N F C]

Sorry for your loss, that's always upsetting.

The first thing I would do is get that run finished, and that includes some type of cover over it (even a tarp provides some protection).

You can post your question over on the predator and pests forum:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/13/predators-and-pests

You can also read this article that talks about different predators and how to safeguard your chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-predators-pests-how-to-protect-treat-your-flock

But again, I would make sure the run is finished before letting the birds use it again.

Good luck to you!

 

[duckie97]

It's finished now I made him work on it over this past weekend.

 

[rainbowhatchery]

If you live around lots of other houses and it was a day time attack the first culprit is usually stray dogs. Most predators are nocturnal so being during the day narrows it down. Thats not to say nocturnal animals never come out in the day but its just a piece to the puzzel. Plus if you heard it run off most things like a fox you wont hear run off. I have been a hunter and farmer my whole life and predators, especially fox are good at their job. Heck I have seen bear run off and not hear them lol.

 

[duckie97]

We live in the city and yes we are surrounded by houses but our yard is fenced in so no dog can get in. Plus the run was wired half way up and the dog would of had to be graceful jumping out of the run and then over the fence too. I at first thought it was a mink. But not really sure if they are even in this particular area. And I have not had any signs of one since. (Knock on wood). I am really am leaning towards the neighbors cat because of this and a cat can get through the fence and could get over the run wire at that time. But since it has been completed it can't. And that particular cat is used to living on its own it spends more time outside than in. So am I crazy for thinking maybe it was the cat?

 

[duckie97]

my coop and run now

 

[bobbi-j]

As a rule, a cat won't generally take on a full grown chicken. Not saying it won't happen ever, but for the most part, they don't. I'd lean more toward wildlife of some sort. Mink and raccoon would climb over a half-done fence. Depending on what they're running through, they can be noisy. Rustling grass, dry twigs, that kind of thing. A hawk, maybe? Could one have flown in and back out? Glad your coop and run are done now.