SOMEONE is killing my hens

[am040608]

Game trail cam can be hidden and set up to snap a picture every 30 seconds or less as motion is detected and gives clear pictures day or night...we got ours for only $60 and it takes awesome pics..wouldnt do without it

That sounds like exactly what I need. Can you let me know where you got it and what kind it is.

 

[am040608]

agree with bbqjoe Im not sure what state you reside in but there are two different kinds of gun self defense  laws. 1 stand your ground, 2 castle doctrine there is a huge difference between what is ok on one and what is ok on the other. I would pick up a remote driveway sensor to alert you when someone goes near the coup, or you could pick up a trail cam. Everything you are saying sounds like a disturbed teen any cop worth his salt should see the same but you need to be careful don't go anywhere without your gun PERIOD.

I live in Washington State.

 

[ejcrist]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. That would bother me quite a bit too. After the first bird I'd be thinking it was a predator but the second case doesn't sound like a 4-legged predator or raptor at all so I'd lean toward the kid. I wouldn't blame him or talk to him or anything yet until you know for sure, and to find out I plant a game cam and do what you're doing by keeping a really close eye on the birds. Just my two cents but if you do find out it's him I wouldn't try to reason with him since any sign of weakness on your part would probably just encourage him all the more. If you're comfortable confronting him, again with evidence, I'd try that first and light into him really good. If not you could of course call the law. Unfortunately with people like that, the only thing they fear is a good whoopin' and most other measures won't have any effect or will make things worse. Only when the cost to them outweighs the fun they're having do they seem to find something else to focus their attention on. In any event I wouldn't point the finger at him until you're 100% positive he's the culprit. I seriously feel for ya though because a situation like that will have you fuming and worrying all day.

 

[am040608]

Animal kill. Feathers wetted as if by saliva.

Whatever did this, do you think it would be capable of going into the coop and breaking a neck? Not disturbing a single feather And while the hen was just roosting on her egg Or do you think that could be a different animal that did that?
In 9 months not as much as a rat, and now this. I am certainly buying a camera!
Whatever it is, animal or human, is going down.

 

[centrarchid]

She got wet in my sink, then i decided to take a picture. I would have expected to find blood or feathers or something if it were an animal. There weren't even any feathers anywhere. That's why I'm so conflicted.

Most of time when a mammalian predator consumes it licks up the blood as it goes. Raptors often kill causing blood flow to stop before they consume which means very little blood. I have seen many animal kills on chickens, likely more than most, and have taken time to not only document kills but also get positive ID on predator. This thread is evolving into a witch hunt based on very sloppy and possibly predisposed judgement on a neighbor kid. This my last post on this thread. TOO MUCH NUTCASE ACTION!

 

[am040608]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. That would bother me quite a bit too. After the first bird I'd be thinking it was a predator but the second case doesn't sound like a 4-legged predator or raptor at all so I'd lean toward the kid. I wouldn't blame him or talk to him or anything yet until you know for sure, and to find out I plant a game cam and do what you're doing by keeping a really close eye on the birds. Just my two cents but if you do find out it's him I wouldn't try to reason with him since any sign of weakness on your part would probably just encourage him all the more. If you're comfortable confronting him, again with evidence, I'd try that first and light into him really good. If not you could of course call the law. Unfortunately with people like that, the only thing they fear is a good whoopin' and most other measures won't have any effect or will make things worse. Only when the cost to them outweighs the fun they're having do they seem to find something else to focus their attention on. In any event I wouldn't point the finger at him until you're 100% positive he's the culprit. I seriously feel for ya though because a situation like that will have you fuming and worrying all day. 

I dont plan to confront anyone unless I find them in my run or in the coop.
If I catch them on camera I'd probably go to his parents first. I'm not big on involving a sheriff if I dont need to.
Interestingly enough, as I did padlock the run today, so far everyone is still clucking happily. So thats something.

 

[ShellyBear]

You go girl!

 

[am040608]

Most of time when a mammalian predator consumes it licks up the blood as it goes. Raptors often kill causing blood flow to stop before they consume which means very little blood. I have seen many animal kills on chickens, likely more than most, and have taken time to not only document kills but also get positive ID on predator. This thread is evolving into a witch hunt based on very sloppy and possibly predisposed judgement on a neighbor kid. This my last post on this thread. TOO MUCH NUTCASE ACTION!

If you had followed my train of thought, i agree, the single bird COULD have been an animal kill, possibly. But the second bird?? Thats what i am having trouble with.
Do i assumme two completely different animals just so happened to randomly kill two of my birds, the second one by only breaking its neck and not even touching it, eating it, ripping out feathers etc, or do i proceed with extra caution.

The fact that I have a person in mind who might be responsible is not a "witch hunt".
I have not called authorities, confronted the child or his parents with any accusations. Nor have posted a community wide alert or gone to his house with torches and pitch forks.

I took note of a correlation in events, which are in fact appearing to be more than random. 2 different animal kills in 2 days being the ONLY kills ive had here EVER is very coincidental.

 

[TheNeonPanther]

Holy crud..that is twisted and messed up. (sorry for language)
Install at least 2 or more cameras and have a weapon by you at all times. If that person is evil enough to hurt animals like that he/she could do the same to humans next.
Make sure to get high quality cameras if possible, so if that person does come, his/her face can be easily seen.
This could have been a predator, but I have never once in my life heard of a predator, bear or hawk killing anything like this. Stay safe.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Unfortunately I do have my suspicions who it might be. The night before the first chicken was killed the closest neighbors wife knocked on our door asking if we had seen their small Chihuahua mix. She had let him out at 2:30 in the morning and he never came home. He liked to snoff in our yard but he was small and harmless. She said her teenage son was very upset over the missing dog. The first hen was killed the next day. The other the following day.
Im wondering if he thinks we have his dog?
New years he threw fireworks from his moving vehicle at our patio where I was sitting. I got the idea he was a bit of a punk.

Do you mean a small Chihuahua mixed dog like the one in this surveillance video that is attacked by a hawk?



Now I to have had enough of the opinions expressed on this thread.