Protecting my flock

[t_williams8]

My Fiance and I bought our first 4 chickens about 3 months ago. 4 barred rocks..they were AWESOME. We eventually bilt a coop and run for the birds and they seemed so happy. We would put them in the coop at night and then let them in the run during the day. After work one day we came home and all 4 had been killed. One was outside the run and the other 3 still in the run. None were eaten, looked like there necks were broken and possibly bitten. Any idea what this might be...

I know our neighbors have cats that they let out...

How can we prevent this from happening.

Ty
Downingtown, PA

 

[horsejody]

Cats won't normally bother an adult chicken. I suppose ther may be exceptions though. Did it look like any had their heads pulled through the fencing? Did you find how the intruder might have gotten in, or how the one chicken may have gotten out?

A weasel or mink will go for the neck and can get through th e tiniest of holes.

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

I would agree with weasel, or a mink and possibly a racoon. Can you see anywhere near the ground that they could have gotten in and is the run covered?

 

[t_williams8]

the run is not covered on the top, but there were no sings of anything going under and the fence was not damaged anywhere. there are trees around that something could have climbed up, but other than that no way in. the birds were only 3 mnths old. since then we got new ones from an Amish farm in oxford, PA. The new chickens are Buffs and are 8 mnths old. should i be worried about this happening again

Ty
Downingtown, PA

 

[Bizzy]

I am a "new egg" here, too, & all you have to do is scan the Predators & Pests section & you will read all kinds of HORRIFIC things. I haven't even gotten my first chickens yet & I am scared to death!!! I have completely changed how I was going to make my coop after reading some of the posts. The runs have to be covered, top to bottom, with STRONG fencing, and also buried in the ground so nothing can burrow inside. Also, letting the chickens free-range while you are gone is asking for trouble (I was going to let them run while I was at work - NO WAY!!).

I am certainly no expert but I am reeeeealllyyyy learning a lot from reading about everyone else's chicken massacres!!!

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

the animal may have climbed over or used a tree to get in but the puzzling part is how the one chicken got on the other side. It ether was pulled somehow through the fence or was carried over. or it could have tried to escape and got over the fence but was still killed.