Something got one of my young pullets :( *graphic pictures*

[chickmomma03]

GRAPHIC PICTURES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS POST!

Charity I am so sorry I failed to protect you. You were so young and had several years ahead of you.
I am livid. When I built my coop and run I did the best I could to make sure the chickens were protected from predators. Something got into the back side of the coop this morning some time (she was present at last night's head count, and I saw her early this morning come out of the coop and into the run). Charity put up one hell of a fight (there were feathers everywhere), but in the end she couldn't escape from the predator.

Thankfully none of the others were harmed.
I am also including a pic of her from the other day. She was only 4mos 3wks old. Close to laying and she was my baby.




GRAPHIC PICTURES BELOW, you have been warned! I thought when I built the coop and run it was as predator proof as I could make it. Last summer I had no losses, thank goodness. This is my first, and hopefully my only loss. Charity was a sweet girl. She was close to point of lay. Whatever got in was small. The opening was only an inch to an inch and a half tall at most. It ripped her head and part of her neck, her blood was drained from her body, and she was eaten from her vent in. I found no blood at all, just a lot of feathers, her body (missing things), and some tissue, a lot of the meat was missing, and I have no idea about organs because I failed to examine it as well as I should have. I am heartbroken, angry, and still shocked. She was a special little girl who had her whole life ahead of her, she hadn't even had much of a chance at actual freedom. I had only integrated the younger chickens into the flock about a month ago. She was a very beautiful bird. She would have laid blue eggs.

























I used hardware cloth, "fabric pins" (very long things that looked like long staples almost) that I pounded into the ground with a sledgehammer, and for now I have a ladder tight up against it (laying on the ground). I am going to run electric fence (cattle strength) around the coop and runs for extra security as well. I went around the run for the chickens and pounded the "fabric pins" anywhere I thought it needed securing. I still have work to do though. I need to buy more of the "fabric pins" or to make something to secure the bottom of the duck run with them (I started to do that when I built the duck run, but I ran out).

I am kicking myself in the rear end for not getting it right in the first place. I am angry at the predator who came into my yard today and did this. It had to have happened some time this morning though while I was gone. I was thinking about it and I realized I saw her come out of the coop early this morning after I opened it.

I also think it may be time to find a LGD. I have a dog, but apparently she didn't do her job today.

 

[centrarchid]

Slobbery look around wound site indicates mammal. Bird being rolled around a lot not consistent with owl. Your setup overall looks pretty good, too good for a oppossum to beat. Fox or coyote would have carried carcass off. Before going the LGD route I would try to put up a little electrified wire around coop. Also put out a live trap baited with remains of dead pullet.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Slobbery look around wound site indicates mammal. Bird being rolled around a lot not consistent with owl. Your setup overall looks pretty good, too good for a oppossum to beat. Fox or coyote would have carried carcass off. Before going the LGD route I would try to put up a little electrified wire around coop. Also put out a live trap baited with remains of dead pullet.

The damage is consistent with a Mink as well as is the supposed point of entry.

How secure is the top of your coop, pen, or run?

 

[chickmomma03]

I have wire strung across the top (electric fence wire but not hooked up to box) to keep birds of prey out of it. I knew it wasn't opossum and don't believe it was raccoon either. We believe it was mink or weasel based on entry point too. I didn't know until after this happened, but my son's father said minks and weasels are in the area.

I put hardware cloth across the whole back now and on the ground to prevent digging to get under it. I pounded "fabric pins" into the ground to secure it. I also added "fabric pins" around the whole run to secure the ground level wire since the incident happened, and I plan to run electric fence around the back and side of the coop hooked up to the box to add extra protection.

I am so thankful it was only one. I just wish none of them were hurt. Charity was so beautiful, and was my favorite color combination out of all the little ones. She actually started off as a little black and deep grey chick so I was surprised with the amount of white on her.

This is a pic of what I did. I laid a ladder across it for now until I can get the electric fence ran. Also, the whole top of the coop is metal. The tarp I have across it was for tiny leaks.

 

[chickmomma03]

Also, I already disposed of her before I thought about doing anything with her. There really wasn't much left. I don't have a trap or know how to make one. I need to figure out how without much cost. I have a dog that was out. I think the predator struck while I was out with my son during the day because I remember seeing her that morning. I do head count often because I worry about them.