Two of my chickens taken by predators this morning

[WthrLady]

Good details in latter paragraph put raccoon back at top of list. Be looking for more than one raccoon.

ya a latch that has been opened screams trash panda. Change those to something that can't be lifted or turned by little hands. I use hasps with clip locks.

Sorry you lost your babies.

 

[WthrLady]

Haha. No they might be more drawn to the carcass though.

and eat it.

 

[WthrLady]

ya a latch that has been opened screams trash panda. Change those to something that can't be lifted or turned by little hands. I use hasps with clip locks.

Sorry you lost your babies.

BUT if he DID accidentally leave them out. I still say fox interrupted. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they aren't there. Urban area are infested with them.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

BUT if he DID accidentally leave them out. I still say fox interrupted. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they aren't there. Urban area are infested with them.

Well I'll be damned, I googled this and it does appear that fox have been making a comeback in the SF Bay Area.

When do foxes/raccoons become inactive? I can arrange to let them out of the coop after 10 a.m. if need be.

 

[WthrLady]

raccoons are USUALLY nocturnal. Daytime sightings are usually because they've been disturbed from their hidey hole, or they are ill.

Foxes. All day, all night is fair game. You're warmer than us, but this time of year the young from last spring are out hunting new territories and seeing what trouble they can get into before they are caught, killed, or smashed by a car. They are sloppy hunters and usually, the one's I've observed, hunting during broad daylight.

The older ones are typically more clever. They learn fast and retain that knowledge. Hence clever/sly as a fox. They will actually watch a place and learn behavioural patterns and then act on prey when there is a safe time for them to do so.

Then there is kit season in the late spring. Mom has to eat to make milk. Dad hunts to feed. Then the little brats start on meat. Food is brought in for them to eat. Food is brought in partially kicking for them to play with and eat. Then the whole family goes hunting Purge style.

Foxes kill as much as they can and as fast as they can, leaving carnage in their wake. If they remain undisturbed, they will start hauling off the bodies and hide them in different places for eating later.

I've noticed my adults usually hunt well after dark and stop just at dawn. But I don't COUNT on that.

 

[BorregoMike]

Coyotes are everywhere, even in cities.

 

[WthrLady]

yup, them too. Yotes here grab kill and run off with a mouth full of bird. But different land, different behaviours are totally possible.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

yup, them too. Yotes here grab kill and run off with a mouth full of bird. But different land, different behaviours are totally possible.

Coyotes happen here, but are incredibly rare in cities, especially more urban ones. People have a spaz when they see one--they made the front page of the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE when two of them allegedly crossed the Golden Gate Bridge from Marin County to San Francisco, settling in the decommissioned Presidio just off the bridge.

 

[aart]

Trap and kill if possible to help keep the population (kinda)down....but a secure run and coop is the only way to keep your chickens 100% safe from preds.

 

[Seniah]

Coyote are actually becoming common in Urban areas. They use the railroad right of ways to travel between urban areas.
Cities actually contain way more food than the country.