Last week I discovered one of young girls missing, without a sign. Tonight, another one! I know a hawk can come quickly and go, but I did not hear any alarm from the others that a hawk was in the area. Is there anything that can grab them and take them into a hole or away with any sign of struggle?
I found all four of my young hens dead this morning in their coop. I had a "critter specialist" come look and he says it was a raccoon. It was able to lift the slant door to the coop to get inside. I will now add raccoon-proof locks. The critter specialist is setting humane traps and will relocate the killer raccoon, though I would like to make a coat out of him....
Quote:Hopefully, the "critter specialist" is able to legally relocate the predator and in such a way that it's not going to be a problem for someone else, upset the balance of predators where he is taking it or spread disease. Relocation of wild animals is illegal in most places.
Horsejody is one of the most experienced people on here. She really knows her stuff. Please liston to what she says! There is no shortage of raccons any where in this world. After death there is no stress to another place weather they be raccoons or poultry.
My trapper guy says here in Florida it's a $10,000 fine if he relocates a coon. They have to be euthanized.
I have lost one rooster (went first) and two hens across three weeks now. I'd gone almost two years without anyhting happening. Now I'm losing one a week. I generally let them out of the coop & run to range all afternoon & evening, and they come back into the coop themselves at dusk. I suspect it's a fox, and am pretty sure it's happening in the evening. I'm not letting them out to range right now, until I figure out how to handle this. My run is VERY secure, and I know it's happening when they are out in the yard. I have 10 acres, some of it bordered by fields. If it were a hawk, I think I would have heard it. How do you take care of a fox? I rarely see them, once in a while by surprise when I am in the car.
