The hits keep coming

[katefollot]

Only partially, didn't have any kind of problem for a solid month and the birds get put up in a (supposed to be) secure shed at night. I just underestimated the appeal of poultry to predators, we have all kinds around the area but our LGD has kept a solid perimeter previously. I'm recovering from surgery (have to wait for my wrist to fuse before I can really use my hand again) otherwise I would have had stuff done a long time ago.

 

[Eggsoteric]

So, they're disappearing from the run as well as the coop? You might be dealing with multiple predators. My guess for the ones disappearing from the run is a fox. Fox can easily climb a 7 foot fence and out with a full size bird. Do you have a trail cam you can set up?

 

[katefollot]

Yes, they've disappeared from both. I'll have to see if I can borrow a trail cam from someone, at this point I think it's definitely more than one predator.

 

[centrarchid]

Is the run covered?

Bingo question! I am betting on Great-horned Owl. For dog to stop it, the dog needs to be able to get into pen with chickens. Victims at 2 lbs at upper end of what owl can fly with.

If I am correct, then placing some deer neeting over opening will shut owl down. Be prepared to untangle owl first night netting deployed. Untangling is tough as owl will not cooperate. After owl encounters netting once it will avoid the stuff.

 

[Allisha]

It could very well be a fox as well. Our coop is roughly 20 or so feet from our house. We have dogs, and we chain them outside when they want to go out which allows them about 10 feet of room to move around in any direction. I am sure the smell of dog is very strong. Anyway, all of our dogs were inside, and we heard the chickens suddenly panic. Running outside, we saw a fox jumping up onto our chicken wire, at least five feet in the air!! One of our poor hens flew OUT of the run and the fox quickly snatched her up and ran into the long grasses. There was no blood, and no feathers. I chased after the fox with my dad, and apparently, little did the fox know, there was a rather big, steep ditch. Because of this, the hen managed to escape. I saw the tall grasses waving, and saw her pop out and run towards the coop! She had no injuries and no loss of feathers whatsoever. So, I think, the likelihood of it being a fox is pretty high, as well as many other predators, such as raccoons, coyotes, owls... I wouldn't suspect a mink or weasel. We had a fischer get into our coop one day and decapitated a hen. Those things are VERY large up here, at least half the size of a fox. And even at that size, he didn't even bother to carry it off. He WAS back for many days after that though, searching for a way inside.

 

[katefollot]

Spotted a racoon last night down by the coop and I suspect the ducks were taken by a fox, so I would not be surprised if there is a great horned owl hanging around as well, although there hasn't been a situation that fits their MO. The ducks left just a couple feathers, there were feathers and a couple drops of blood right outside the run after the pullets were taken from inside of it, the ones that disappeared from inside the coop left absolutely no trace.

I keep patching things up and a new predator keeps finding a way in. Wish I could snap my fingers and have a predator proof fortress, it's coming along but goodness they're sneaky.

 

[Sublight]

Spotted a racoon last night down by the coop and I suspect the ducks were taken by a fox, so I would not be surprised if there is a great horned owl hanging around as well, although there hasn't been a situation that fits their MO. The ducks left just a couple feathers, there were feathers and a couple drops of blood right outside the run after the pullets were taken from inside of it, the ones that disappeared from inside the coop left absolutely no trace.

I keep patching things up and a new predator keeps finding a way in. Wish I could snap my fingers and have a predator proof fortress, it's coming along but goodness they're sneaky.

The large live traps work for catching coons. I got one last night.