predators

[klawson01]

In the last month I have lost 10 quail and the 17 chic/roosters we set traps we sat ip with gun I did get rid of possum and coon. But go out tpday and I have 1 chic and 6 quail. Im beyond angry. Thing is my chicken or locked in a cage inside a cage and the door was still locked but only had one chicken do I have Whodini how in the world did it get it outwhat has that capability

 

[critterkeeper25]

How big are the openings to your cage? Big enough for a coon to get its front paw into? I could be able to reach in. Is there blood inside of the cage? Could a raccoon have dismembered your chickens and pulled the pieces through the openings? There would be blood though. If no blood, is it possible that a snake could have gotten through the openings? Depends on the size of your chickens/quail, but a big snake can unhinge its jaws and eat things several sizes beyond the size of their heads.

I found a 5 foot black snake in my coop, several times. I finally caught it (the third time!) and put it in a bag, drove 20 miles away and let in go in an uninhabited section of woods around where we are. Caught a second snake the same day, right after I got back from taking the first away, it was right along side of our coop where the nest boxes are. I put that one in a bag and took it away and let it go too. We think that the snakes were entering our coop during the day when the door was open and was eating some of our eggs.

 

[klawson01]

Upon investigation we found a deep hole at base of tree and with smoke bombs found exit hole. Also found that it dug under wall into coop. Still cant figure bout cage. Blood is at the base of coop. But yes we lhink coon. So im huntin tonite. It has bypassed all types of traps. He wont bypasss me. Wish me luck

 

[critterkeeper25]

The hole at the base of a tree with a tunnel leading to another exit could have originally been from a ground hog. They always have more than one way to enter/exit their burrow and a raccoon could use it after the other animal is gone. I googled "Do raccoons dig tunnels?" and it said that they will dig under structures. So it sounds like your raccoon would dig under the wall of your coop to get to your chickens.

We have had raccoons getting into our trash cans. So...my husband set a live trap to catch it. It managed to brace itself and pry the trap door open once it was trapped inside and escaped. This has happened more times than I can count! We still haven't been able to catch that sucker! So I'm thinking that your raccoon has figured a way to pry the door to your cage open and pull your chickens out to eat them!

Good luck to you! Have at 'em!

 

[klawson01]

Lmbo....we have triple hooks and wire hanging with bait...live traps and me...110 lbs of ticked off female with a I wanted landmines but hubby says i.so we shall see.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

The hole at the base of a tree with a tunnel leading to another exit could have originally been from a ground hog.  They always have more than one way to enter/exit their burrow and a raccoon could use it after the other animal is gone.  I googled "Do raccoons dig tunnels?" and it said that they will dig under structures. So it sounds like your raccoon would dig under the wall of your coop to get to your chickens.  

We have had raccoons getting into our trash cans.  So...my husband set a live trap to catch it.  It managed to brace itself and pry the trap door open once it was trapped inside and escaped. This has happened more times than I can count! We still haven't been able to catch that sucker! So I'm thinking that your raccoon  has figured a way to pry the door to your cage open and pull your chickens out to eat them!

Good luck to you!  Have at 'em!

Sounds like you need a new live trap....

Seriously I'm not kidding

 

[alibabba]

In the last month I have lost 10 quail and the 17 chic/roosters we set traps we sat ip with gun I did get rid of possum and coon. But go out tpday and I have 1 chic and 6 quail. Im beyond angry. Thing is my chicken or locked in a cage inside a cage and the door was still locked but only had one chicken do I have Whodini how in the world did it get it outwhat has that capability

I have a possum I have been feeding on my porch roof since last year. Over the past couple weeks, I have hand fed her out of the window. She avoids my electrified pens, never a problem with her in all this time.

I had a fox 2 weeks ago - just about wipe out my pullet pen, killed and/or took 17 out of 20. (My fault I didn't "get to" putting the electric on that pen! triple head smack!) I know it wasn't the possum, they don't dig. They will come and feed where the carrion or easy meal is...

I know from my possum, who I have seen run at top speed through the yard, that I could easily catch it. I can't catch the pullets without a net, and I saw the scrawny fox out at the neighbors when I scanned with the light randomly the other night.

Anyway. Electric is a simple, inexpensive solution.

I electrified and baited the pen the next day, and it has not been breached.

 

[critterkeeper25]

Sounds like you need a new live trap....

Seriously I'm not kidding

It's brand new. Have-a-heart brand. My husband modified the floor of the trap by attaching a thin piece of plywood to it so that the raccoon couldn't get purchase on the floor to use it for leverage to pry the trap door open. It didn't go into the trap after that, so we don't know if it would work or not. It is currently being used as a broody pen for our BO hen who goes broody at least once a month. We haven't had a raccoon in the trash since. It had to work really hard last time it was caught to get free. The ground under where the trap was, was all dug up from the raccoon's struggle. Maybe it scared him away....for now.

What brand of live traps does everyone else use? Something better I hope?

 

[NEChickenNoob]

These are coon targeted traps, they catch them alive, but they are not intended for a catch and release: http://www.amazon.com/Raccoon-Trap-Proof-Hunting-Anyone/dp/B004949EIC

But for live: I have never had one get out of this: http://www.livetrap.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=187

What is happening is your latch that locks the door in place either isn't there or failing. Try a better trap.

 

[carolwfuller]

For the first time in 4 years of having chickens I lost one to ascites and one disappeared from the pen at night with many feathers all around. By the feathers in the poop pans I assumed that something came into the hen house and grabbed her, pulled her out, pulled out a bunch of feathers and took off with her. I think it might have been an owl. Both were cuckoo marans

5 RIR left. I decided to close the pen at night. But, Sunday morning something got in after I let them out and attacked a chicken.. Feathers everywhere but the hen got away with pulled feathers but no bloody places. I am not sure she can speak at the moment and she seemed a little stiff on the pulled side. All of the hens are skittish now darting often into their bushy hideaway. There is no way I would free-range them right now.

Then yesterday I saw a cat trying to slink into the boat shed from where she could get into the dog yard and over the fence. I shooed her away.

I know a cat could not carry a big hen away but it could eat it in the pen. Any ideas?

My only other problem is the crows who fly into the chicken years and pen and eat their food.