they're all dead, all 11

[equinelyn]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I had 6 babies once, and my 2 (very bad) Jack Russell’s escaped from their pen when we left for the day. When we got home they had torn through the chicken wire and killed every one. They had just started laying too

They both ate 2 whole birds, everything but the wings. And ripped apart the others. It was horrible having to clean that up.
After that I had to train my dogs that chickens are OFF limits. And their pen is maximum security with fence on top.

 

[ivan3]

Sorry for your loss. You might consider checking out your state/province/etc. Department of Conservation/Natural Resources as they'll usually have lists/descriptions of what predators are found in your area (slither/waddle/pad/lope/skulk...); pay attention, as well, to what/how many preds you observe roadkilled within a couple miles of your location. The farther out in the boonies one resides, the more `normal' the pred's `schedules', the closer to human concentrations of population - the more the preds will `adjust' (have seen opossums walking in alleys and raccoons moving from tree branches to the roofs of houses, in the Middle of Columbia, Missouri, early in the afternoon). Also, count and location of `domestic predators'.

Knowing what is looking for chicken dinner, how many there are and when the flock is most vulnerable is of vital use if free ranging. Use of the most secure fencing (welded wire/hardware cloth) available; electric fencing and secured coop at night are the most potent defenses. If in a rural area with a large pred. load preemptive defense, i.e., snares/live traps (etc.) will decrease the overall frequency of predation while free ranging, and knock down the number of raccoons that, unable to enter coop directly, will sometimes be found ripping up the shingles from the coop roof.

Don't give up: Use search function and read FAQs: `PREDATOR PROOFING".

Hang in there, and good luck!

ed:sp

 

[Heathero617]

I lost 2 more overnight as well. 1 white rock/barred rock mix and one black cochin...my daughters baby. Once we get the pen completely buttoned up, i'll take my daughter to pick a new chick. Should all be done next week. I've taken many precautions and still....something gets to them. One more thing to try and i'll be installing an un movable door over the coop entrance today so they'll just have to wait for me to get up and moving in the morning to let them out.

 

[berkeleysprings]

sorry for your loss , racoons can climb trees a fence is nothing , i hope others read this and understand racoons climb , the just about live in the trees but also coons will pull the chicken right threw the small holes in any fence so just because you put cattle fence up with 2x4 inch holes they will yank the poor chicken pice by pice one leg at a time right threw . we dbl lock the dbl gate with cattle fence and hardwire cloth over top and nylon netting over everything . dont trust electric fencing it wont stop owl or birds and coons learn not to touch the single wire .the only sure thing is cattle fence with hardwire cloth and vinal deer netting over everything . and night vision game cameras

 

[bryan99705]

Too bad, sorry about your loss. Sounds like time to skirt and wire in the top or get a prefab chain link panel to cover the run. Don't suggest digging in the skirt, just lay it on the ground and maybe staple it down flat. If you dig it in, you pre-loosen the dirt for the digger making it easier to try to go under.

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Heather, ughhhhhhhhhh,........here I go....and I'm sorry.. I'm now going to have to go from compassionate to really upset on behalf of your defenseless birds. After that recent devastating loss, the remaining birds clearly were known to be not safe. They needed to be moved somewhere perfectly safe (I don't care where - basement, garage, the kitchen!) until their area was utterly and firmly secured. I know you said you are taking many precautions and I'm sure you are, but something is wrong since preds are still getting in. Please please don't get any more birds yet. Please post pics and descriptions of the improvements you make and I know BYCers will move heaven and earth to help you figure out if it's enough and what else may be needed. I know you don't want the birds getting attacked. Please let us help you.

JJ

 

[Heathero617]

Quote:
Heather, ughhhhhhhhhh,........here I go....and I'm sorry.. I'm now going to have to go from compassionate to really upset on behalf of your defenseless birds. After that recent devastating loss, the remaining birds clearly were known to be not safe. They needed to be moved somewhere perfectly safe (I don't care where - basement, garage, the kitchen!) until their area was utterly and firmly secured. I know you said you are taking many precautions and I'm sure you are, but something is wrong since preds are still getting in. Please please don't get any more birds yet. Please post pics and descriptions of the improvements you make and I know BYCers will move heaven and earth to help you figure out if it's enough and what else may be needed. I know you don't want the birds getting attacked. Please let us help you.

JJ

I took extra steps and it still found a way. I dont have a basement nor do i have a pen to keep them inside, I'm new to chickens, but nowhere near new to wildlife. I had raccoons as pets when i was a kid, i'm well aware of their abilities. I "utterly secured" them last night, last thing i did not do was physically screw the door shut on the coop. I use a very heavy door on hinges and it's wedged closed very hard for me to open but last night , i took my screw gun and put 2 screws in it. I can do no more till next week. I appreciate your concern, but not everyone can afford or have the ability to just run out and buy all sorts of things as a precaution and very many times overkill. The farmers cut all the fields yesterday, so i'm hoping it deters others a bit as they will no longer have cover. Once i catch these masked bandits as i'm sure there is more than one, they will be disposed of properly and after next weekend, things will be completely finished and i can rest easier. But as you know, there is nothing full proof against wildlife. When we encroach on their habitat which they live, we have to either learn to live with them or get rid of them. I hate the killing of wildlife but it is what it is once they came within the confines of my pen, they were out of their realm that I leave alone. As I said, i've done what I can for the remainder of this week, i have a trap coming today >so i'm told< and i'll just screw the door closed till we get things completely buttoned up outside.

 

[JoePa]

If you are going to raise chickens there are some basic knowledge you must have - how to take care of them - chicken raising 101 - and one important part is how to protect them from predators - having a run with an open top is like providing a predator with a free meal - you just don't do that - now I'm very sorry about your loss - unfortunately you learned the hard way - again I'm sorry - and to anyone else thinking of raising chickens or to those who already have some - you must build an adequate coop and run for them - learn as much as you can about raising them and then go out and get some - and don't think because you live in an built up area that there aren't any predators around - they even live in the middle of cities - I live in the country and they are all over the place - almost impossible to keep them in check - good luck

 

[Silkie Sue]

I'm really sorry for your loss....i feel your pain as this morning i walked in the barn to find a massacre... all my Silkies dead 14 in all i have 1 rooster whois a real scrapper and he managed to be the only one not hurt at all and 1 other rooster who i thought was dead but is still alive at this point with major head wounds.
i had 4 baby muscovies dead... i had a mallard baby and 2 polish babies dead....
the culprit was still in the barn// it was A WEASEL. the dog tried to get it but those bastards are fast.... i will be awaiting his return with the shotgun...

i hope you get the jerk that did this to your babies...

 

[Heathero617]

Quote:
We dont have weasels but we have mink, and since we have 4 ponds on the property I was ready to find one stuck inside the pen not being able to get up the steel siding in the pen but no...found coon tracks this morning. Was just outside sitting in the pen letting them peck at my toes >it hurts by the way i wasnt really letting them but they like my polish i guess< and i happen to look...i placed a board over an area that was bad on the coop wall. Caulked and screwed it on tighly, now has 2 places that you can clearly see it tried to chew through but couldnt get it's teeth positioned correctly i guess to do so. I am getting ready to go pick up my live trap in a few and we'll see what it produces for me tonight. I'm sorry about your babies, this thing ended up killing my silkie pair and 2 of 3 hatchlings in the past 2 weeks. The rooster did not die right away but he was torn up so badly, he literally was only 3/4 of a bird as it ripped a portion of his body off under his wing. He finally gave in to death 3 days later but at and drank and pecked the crap out of me and gave one of the other birds a good lashing as I switched him to a smaller segregated cage for his R&R.