Something is killing off my chickens!!! help!

[woodmort]

Quote:
Except when breeding or raise young, weasels or mink are so nasty they will not tolerate another of their species in the same territory. Since those are winter/spring activities if you eliminate one you will get rid of them until another one decides to move in. On the other hand raccoons tend to be in families and foxes in pairs.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

When I asked questions about my coop people told me that rats and weasels can get in unless you seal to 1/2 inch. Three inches is big enough for them.

 

[dieselgrl48]

I have heard of people here talk about weasel's.I live in Virginia sooo.People say We have them.I have never seen one.I know We have racoon's, Skunk, Fox,possum's,Coyote,Owl's, Hawk's.I just had lost over 20 graduated bird's to rat's of all thing's

. We keep a live trap for coon's etc. but the rat thing was totaly unexpected have raised the bird's here over 6 year's and never had that problem.We put out bait's in the cellar where we found them and got some pretty big one's and so far the 2nd round of graduated have been safe in there at night.But Have lost some to those darn hawk's Grrrrrrr.It's alway's something it seem's.Hope you can figure out what is getting them and Whack the rascal's. Huggggzzz for your lost bird's.

 

[theFox]

Weasel are common in the world, in the US there are three different kinds, in some areas all three kinds are present.

If there is good habitat for them there will be on average 10 weasels per square mile, if the habitat is excellent there will be many more.

Territories are defended as woodmort says they are rather nasty predators, a male will have a much larger territory than a female, however a female may occupy a territory that overlaps that of a couple of males.

I haven't seen one here, but my former neighbor told me about them being around.

Good luck in your weasel hunt.

 

[Inkheart]

I think this sounds like a mink or a weasel - had the same problem and after research they are known for beheading and biting about neck - sometimes it seems almost for sport- If there is a hole the size of a hot dog - it can get thru - they are very smart and sadly will come back and come back. I trapped the mink that was giving me grief - beautiful but mean and hissing
Sorry about your loss

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I had chickens for 24 years never saw a weasel but did have a rat problem. Then last spring a weasel showed up, cleaned out the rats(it never occurred to me that this had happened until well after the fact) then started on my birds. First one or two with so little damage that I thought they were just dying of old age (they were 6/7 yrs old) only when there was major mayhem--6 in one night--did I wake up, set a trap and catch the bugger the next morning. He was getting in through a hole that mice had chewed under the people door--I was, in fact, replacing the door when I heard the trap close in the next room. Here he is just prior to disposal in the trap with the bait--the head of one of the roosters he'd killed.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
I had chickens for 24 years never saw a weasel but did have a rat problem. Then last spring a weasel showed up, cleaned out the rats(it never occurred to me that this had happened until well after the fact) then started on my birds. First one or two with so little damage that I thought they were just dying of old age (they were 6/7 yrs old) only when there was major mayhem--6 in one night--did I wake up, set a trap and catch the bugger the next morning. He was getting in through a hole that mice had chewed under the people door--I was, in fact, replacing the door when I heard the trap close in the next room. Here he is just prior to disposal in the trap with the bait--the head of one of the roosters he'd killed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/62375_img_1305.jpg

Rats (lots of them make a prime weasel food supply) or a lot of other rodents along with water makes for good weasel habitat.

I have a spring fed brook that runs through my property and it feeds a pond and that in turn drains into a small stream that empties into a river, the current problem here is a pair of beavers has found their way here.

Where the beavers have built their dams is on the property of two other landowners, and I can't do a thing about it, and neither can they until December 1.

 

[Inkheart]

That is true also not sure if you have water or creeks or anything by your property -but small creeks make perfect spots for weasels or mink - they love it !

 

[chickkymama0]

hi regarding ssomething is killing all my chickens...sounds like a weasel! i had the same problem with the killing spree and just heads and necks gone! i caught the 2 weasels! so far no more problems. i used one of the carcasses tied in a trap along the coop wall and it worked! weasels cann make themselves very flat and r very flexible! this one came in thru a 1inch space! good luck and set a trap! its such a tragedy and sorry for your loss! : (

 

[deerman]

3 in hole alot of predator can get thru that. I saw a half grown skunk ,go thru my chainlink. Coons can pull them thru, even had a great horn owl take birds thru 2 in welded wire.

Live trap .with one of the dead chickens........