something is chewing up my coturnix hens....

[mhwc56]

first a snake getting chicks and now something unknown has gotten 3 of my favorite "old" hens....

if they were Bobwhites i'd figure they went after each other ...BUT.. these are coturnix that have lived together since hatch over a year ago. AND there's no blood on anyone's beaks .
Something is getting hold of my hens in 1 cage through 1/2" hardware cloth and chewing holes in their bodies just about where the primary wing feather tips are.
it's only the 1 cage . Any ideas on what it may be and what i could do to protect them in the future would be GREATLY appreciated!
i moved remaining birds from that cage but if whatever it is decides to go after another cage ...?

 

[NewToFarming]

I am so sorry! Is there any small hole in their set up where a rat can get in?

 

[Stellar]

Chewing just makes me think a rat is getting in somehow and harming the poor birds. I suggest checking all cracks and crevices on the pen and also to probably put the 1/4 over the 1/2 inch to prevent hands or snakes to squeeze through. It has been helping me when I did that to my cages. Sorry this is happening to you! It is really not a good month for animals!

 

[snyd08]

Quote:
yep this is like critter happy hour right now. coons,minks,rats,snakes, and mhhhhhmhmmmmm some quail and their eggs sound tasty to ME so it must be wonderful to the common pest

 

[TheRealTimShady]

is there blood where the "chewing" is, b/c if not that it was done after the quail was dead, which maybe could be the other quails pecking.

 

[7L Farm]

I agree check your pens & if you see something fixes it.Don't question the whole & say to your self Na they can't get through there. Fixes it!!! Go out at night & check on the birds. I second guess things all the time but not any more I fixs it. It usually takes a few minutes & your done. Here's a perfect example. The roof is corrugated metal with tiny holes. I didn't fixs it & look what got in. Only ate some eggs. It took me 2 minutes to fixs the problem.

 

[mhwc56]

there would be blood on the faces of anyone who was chewing up the birds and there isn't . Rat huh? through the wire?
guess i'll put up a barrier around the lower 6-8 " of the cage .Thanks everyone for your input and support !

 

[dragontamer56]

When i got my chickens here in Montana the guy i got them from said he had problems with weasels. He said that they could squeeze through small holes and that they bore into the bird and eat inside out. Maybe that could be it.

 

[mhwc56]

i suspect that others are correct when they say rat...
NOW...
how do i get rid of them without harming my ducks who scrounge around in the same area that the quail pens are in.....i don't think they would appreciate getting a trap stuck to their bills or toes...

 

[C&Rman]

You could try putting some traps ontop of the pens. Also put them in the empty pen that you moved your birds from. I am sorry that they got your birds!