So they're dead now. :((

[GrannyHeeney]

Both chicks, Stella and Deedee, our Brahma teenagers. They were laying in a pile this morning--something had eaten their heads/necks down to their chests. Of course, I was the one who found my little sweeties. It took me this long to post because I am shattered. My neighbor/bestie thinks it was a small coon. No idea. People keep chucking their cats out of their cars around here and they keep winding up at our places, and they've killed other people's chickens, so who knows. Spent 3 hours today putting chicken wire across the top of the big girls' place, and, after reading posts for the last ten minutes, I'm going to do even more tomorrow--someone mentioned Fort Knox: oh yeah, it's on, baby. Kill my little sweeties, you're not getting my Rock girls next. I know whatever it was will be back since it had a meal. My besties' hubby set up a number of live traps baited with Honey Buns (apparently, Honey Buns are like crack for coons). I'm just so, so sad...my babies... ( All my Brahmas, gone...

 

[lilmillefleur]

I'm so sorry to hear you had this problem. I had something a little similar happen to me once.
Though our coop was secure from the start, our neighbor's was not. I was heartbroken to learn that my favorite hen that they had was killed by a weasel in the night. It's a bad feeling, especially when you feel as though you could have done something more. I'm glad you are choosing to fortify your coop, you will not regret it if it means keeping your birds safe. Again condolences for your losses

 

[featherhead007]

So sad to think, your flock had such promise. poor innocent , helpless babies.

 

[lotusgirl73]

Both chicks, Stella and Deedee, our Brahma teenagers. They were laying in a pile this morning--something had eaten their heads/necks down to their chests. Of course, I was the one who found my little sweeties. It took me this long to post because I am shattered. My neighbor/bestie thinks it was a small coon. No idea. People keep chucking their cats out of their cars around here and they keep winding up at our places, and they've killed other people's chickens, so who knows. Spent 3 hours today putting chicken wire across the top of the big girls' place, and, after reading posts for the last ten minutes, I'm going to do even more tomorrow--someone mentioned Fort Knox: oh yeah, it's on, baby. Kill my little sweeties, you're not getting my Rock girls next. I know whatever it was will be back since it had a meal. My besties' hubby set up a number of live traps baited with Honey Buns (apparently, Honey Buns are like crack for coons). I'm just so, so sad...my babies... ( All my Brahmas, gone...

I am so sorry for your loss. We have a ton of predators where we reside, which is even more troublesome when you have free-range chickens. Here is a list (but not comprehensive!) of what may be the problem: https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chicken-coops-housing/what-killed-my-chicken/

All the best, and blessings to you and your flock xoxoxoxo

 

[Flamens Farm]

Oh what a shame, I am so sorry to hear about your babies. I live in SC also and it's like every wild animal in the woods tries to eat our chickens.

 

[RWise]

Maybe add an electric wire near the bottom (off the ground about 4") another at about 12", and at the top of the fence. Coons are smart and very strong, about anything sweet, raw bacon works well, as does honeydew. Good luck, now that they have found you they will be back!

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Yeah, after all my hard work yesterday, whatever it was dug UNDER the live traps (all of them) to get the Honey Buns (the tuna cans were untouched) and still managed to kill one of my Barred Rocks. We're all in a panic. We have to figure this out TODAY or there will be none left by next week. (

 

[21hens-incharge]

Gosh I am sorry.

Do you have a skirt/ wire apron around your coop? It keeps diggers at bay.
Hot wire to keep climbers out, and a lid for jumpers and fliers.

It's a lot of work but necessary.

 

[Missypipping]

I'm sorry about your babies, truly! My babies are free range and we live in the mountains where every kind of predatory critter lurks. We lost all our small hens in the course of a week so back to the coop the rest went. We're in the process of placing electric wire and expanding our coop for more comfy space for them at night where we're trying to get them to go, they don't want to go most of the time.Anyway, Blessing to you and all of your babies

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Gosh I am sorry.

Do you have a skirt/ wire apron around your coop? It keeps diggers at bay.
Hot wire to keep climbers out, and a lid for jumpers and fliers.

It's a lot of work but necessary.

Once again, head was gone. body next to the fence, and no clue how this could have been done. I'm thinking the wire skirt/apron is what we need, all other of those bases are covered. I spent 3 hours covering the rest of the top yesterday (it had been half done--I was just protecting against hawks, originally, since Leroy's gone). If we can keep the last 3 alive (!!!), we had plans to line the entire inside with lumber and fill with a foot of sand, like a coop-sized sand box, partly for cleanliness (we read that post on using sand in coops), now for extra security. Hubby's a retired vet with 5 deployments and he is furious--said he's going full commando on whatever this is. He's talking about taking a nap and then staying up all night with his shotgun. He was horridly distraught over our losses but Michelle and I wandering around in tears all day put the icing on the cake. (Awww!)