Something is eating my flock

[cacknballs]

Once while out deer hunting, we saw a group of turkeys going by and a Bobcat lying in wait and jumped and took the very last one. Evening time. Then we saw another one run up a felled tree, it was leaning on another tree where the turkeys decided to roost, and he got one of those before it could fly away. He was only about 40-50 yards away from us and guess he didn't get our scent. They can be quick and haul that bird off with few feathers flying. I guess it all depends on How they catch the bird, by neck or by back. I did lose my polish rooster 5 months ago with No clue. and no body parts found. He was there early morning when we let them out, but not there at lock up time. The next few mornings My dogs raising cane, gave me the reason why I think, a coyote came around the chicken pen early AM, Hadn't let the chickens out as yet, thank goodness, so while the coyote was teasing the dogs that were in the fenced yard, I dispatched that coyote and so far no more early morning loss of chickens. If you had a deer cam set out by the pen You would get a picture of what may be causing the mayhem.

awesome!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Predators have "standard" ways to kill but not all get the memo. Some typically eat the head first, others start at other places. Some typically leave a trail, others not so much. But just because they typically do something doesn't mean they all will. Consider those things as clues, not hard and fast evidence.

For example, dogs often like to play and often leave dead birds or feather piles. I once had a dog attack, two dogs took eight chickens. I found one body, two piles of feathers, and the other five just disappeared. There may have been a few stray feathers, in that mess it was hard to tell, but no bodies and no piles of feathers.

When I was a kid a fox found our flock. It came every morning shortly after daylight and took one from ambush. It left no traces. Dad managed to shoot it once he figured out its pattern.

Bobcats tend to take a carcass to a safe place to eat it and hide the remains for a later meal. Often you can find the hiding spot fairly close nearby. But a Mama may take a carcass back to the den for her cubs.

Most of the time a bird of prey will take the head first and eat on the spot, but larger birds of prey may carry off smaller chickens with essentially no trace, especially fi they have hungry chicks in the nest.

It would help if you could identify what the predator is and when it is coming. If you set a trap you bait them differently for different critters. To shoot one you need to get a shot, that's not easy if you don't know what you are dealing with.

I shoot and trap when I find one hunting my area. That has two benefits. It removes a predator that is actively hunting your area. If it is female you remove a breeder. But trapping or shooting is only a short term solution. Others are being born and weaned all the time. Often there are more than one hunting your area anyway. I once shot 16 rabbits in my garden before I got the one that was eating my beans off just as they sprouted. There may have been more than one eating those beans but all were not. It's pretty normal when I se the trap I get a possum or raccoon on consecutive nights. I once had a skunk spray at the house. I trapped and removed seven over the course of a few weeks. I don't know if I got the one that sprayed or not. That's the fallacy of counting on shooting or trapping as your first line of defense. There are always more.

If you free range shooting and trapping may be your only defense but you may still experience losses, how else do you tell that you are having a problem. For long-term protection you need barriers. That may be a run with an apron and a top if your area is small. A tall fence without a top will stop some but a lot of critters climb really well. I use electric netting. Some are happy with electric fencing. If used correctly electricity is a really powerful barrier against practically any land-based critter.

I don't know what the right answer is for you. Good luck on a solution that works for you.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Predators have "standard" ways to kill but not all get the memo. Some typically eat the head first, others start at other places. Some typically leave a trail, others not so much. But just because they typically do something doesn't mean they all will. Consider those things as clues, not hard and fast evidence.

For example, dogs often like to play and often leave dead birds or feather piles. I once had a dog attack, two dogs took eight chickens. I found one body, two piles of feathers, and the other five just disappeared. There may have been a few stray feathers, in that mess it was hard to tell, but no bodies and no piles of feathers.

When I was a kid a fox found our flock. It came every morning shortly after daylight and took one from ambush. It left no traces. Dad managed to shoot it once he figured out its pattern.

Bobcats tend to take a carcass to a safe place to eat it and hide the remains for a later meal. Often you can find the hiding spot fairly close nearby. But a Mama may take a carcass back to the den for her cubs.

Most of the time a bird of prey will take the head first and eat on the spot, but larger birds of prey may carry off smaller chickens with essentially no trace, especially fi they have hungry chicks in the nest.

It would help if you could identify what the predator is and when it is coming. If you set a trap you bait them differently for different critters. To shoot one you need to get a shot, that's not easy if you don't know what you are dealing with.

I shoot and trap when I find one hunting my area. That has two benefits. It removes a predator that is actively hunting your area. If it is female you remove a breeder. But trapping or shooting is only a short term solution. Others are being born and weaned all the time. Often there are more than one hunting your area anyway. I once shot 16 rabbits in my garden before I got the one that was eating my beans off just as they sprouted. There may have been more than one eating those beans but all were not. It's pretty normal when I se the trap I get a possum or raccoon on consecutive nights. I once had a skunk spray at the house. I trapped and removed seven over the course of a few weeks. I don't know if I got the one that sprayed or not. That's the fallacy of counting on shooting or trapping as your first line of defense. There are always more.

If you free range shooting and trapping may be your only defense but you may still experience losses, how else do you tell that you are having a problem. For long-term protection you need barriers. That may be a run with an apron and a top if your area is small. A tall fence without a top will stop some but a lot of critters climb really well. I use electric netting. Some are happy with electric fencing. If used correctly electricity is a really powerful barrier against practically any land-based critter.

I don't know what the right answer is for you. Good luck on a solution that works for you.

You are right on with this! dogs do tend to make a much bigger mess and enjoy the game/kill and seem to just do it once started. I had a dog visit here several times one summer, he lived 4 miles away. he was a yellow lab. He was always laying in my yard when I would get home from work, never a worry. I started noticing ducks missing and chickens missing. he never looked guilty and no feathers. one evening, my neighbor came by and told me he saw a yellow lab carrying a chicken half a mile up the road. then I knew. later as I was fixing fence, lo and behold, what do I find but a duck he had killed and buried. so he was smart about not getting caught. Guess he wanted to go hunting and just couldn't wait until season.

Coons a opossums will tear through weak chicken fence and they sure will climb all over a pen to find a place to get in, right over the top if there is no roof.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Bobcats are ambush predators. Years ago a friend had had his game hens dispersing without a trace. I did a walk around and found that a bobcat was ambushing hens from the edge of a sage grass field. After firing off the sage grass and taking other actions the loses stopped.

 

[Dearchery]

So, a couple of days ago, I noticed my Black star was not walking around the yard anymore. On further investigation, (Or as best as I can do with a broken foot) she was just gone, then, looking around, I noticed he flock seemed much smaller. There were 17 of 34 in the pen, and about 10 out (but they are by woods and fields so that is not excact). Point is, we are missing a 1/2 dozen chickens. Whatever it is just takes them. No sound, no feathers no carcass. But It only gets the chickens that live outside. We have constant trouble with holes under the run, through which the chickens escape. So some are roosting in trees, and one knocked the top off of an Alberta spruce to sleep there. I think it is either canine, or we have heard bobcats in our area. What do you think? What should I do? Right now, the chickens are closed int eh coop, and we are fixing the holes in the run, while catching the birds that escaped.

I had a red fox actually dig under my cage and rip the wire a bit to have acces to my pheasant. The fox got lucky once not so lucky the second time.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Just lost an 8 week old pullet last night. she was on the roost and all there at dark. This morning I find her breast skin and top of her head In the pen and feathers outside. Roost was a bit to close to chain link fence. I am pretty sure it was a coon, climbed the fence and grabbed the closest one and pulled her through the fence. He will be back, trap will be set and roost will be further away from the fence. I was afraid that could happen one day. Here I was so proud of myself for having all that fencing and pens enclosed.. Just didn't get the roost set right.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I encourage people to remove the singular pronouns 'it', 'he', 'him', 'her', etc. from their personal lexicon when referring to predators. If there is one, it is extremely unlikely there will only be one. They don't come out of thin air. They have a mother and father, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, sons, daughters and cousins.
Don't rely on a hav-a-hart type live box trap for raccoons. I set one every night and haven't caught anything in it this year. Sometimes it is tripped with nothing inside. 10 feet away from that trap, I set a dogproof raccoon leg trap. I've caught 7 raccoons in the last 2 weeks with the same bait used in the box trap.
Most animals can climb. Raccoons are excellent climbers. If you search youtube, you'll see raccoons climbing sheer walls, descending trees head first and exhibiting their exemplary skills. Fencing is no deterrent.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Update on predator. I found the remains (the evidence)of a 9 week old pullet yesterday morning, She was pulled through the fence. The good news is that the culprit was caught last night. She was caught in a live trap. Coons are superb climbers. Their front feet are strong little hands. I have noticed that when some animals are caught and released with live traps, They have been taught not to get caught in them again. I did that for awhile a few years ago, I don't do that anymore. At this point only one caught and she will not be back. There may be others, but not with her. We'll see if we catch more over time.
The leg hold traps sound Like They are working good. I don't have a leg hold, but do use the live trap. One must try whatever works.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with you. They learn to avoid the box traps.
Also, relocating the invasive raccoon only delivers your problem to someone else.
Most of the time, if the culprits aren't moved far enough, they'll be back. Raccoons have huge territories and may know the direct route back to your place.
Moved far enough, relocation causes it to compete with existing wildlife in the new territory in an environment it doesn't know and may not be able to find food or water. That isn't necessarily humane. There will often be fights with those already in that territory resulting in death or injury at best. In most places, relocating is not legal because of the possibility of introducing disease into wild populations.

As for the leg trap, they don't maim and are removable. They are also much more effective and much less expensive than a box trap.
I can buy 5-10 dog proof leg traps for the price of a good cage trap.
http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/dog-proof-raccoon-traps.html

 

[Bonniebooboo]

I agree with you. They learn to avoid the box traps.
Also, relocating the invasive raccoon only delivers your problem to someone else.
Most of the time, if the culprits aren't moved far enough, they'll be back. Raccoons have huge territories and may know the direct route back to your place.
Moved far enough, relocation causes it to compete with existing wildlife in the new territory in an environment it doesn't know and may not be able to find food or water. That isn't necessarily humane. There will often be fights with those already in that territory resulting in death or injury at best. In most places, relocating is not legal because of the possibility of introducing disease into wild populations.

As for the leg trap, they don't maim and are removable. They are also much more effective and much less expensive than a box trap.
I can buy 5-10 dog proof leg traps for the price of a good cage trap.
http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/dog-proof-raccoon-traps.html

I absolutely agree with you on all the above. and I will check on the leg hold trap. I know they come back, and also correct in giving someone else the same problem. Thank you for the link. will definitely check on that.