Unknown predator.

[jnicholes]

Hello,

I am posting today because I have a concern about my chickens and I think a predator is after them.

Earlier today, I was in my bedroom reading, when all the sudden I heard my chickens flapping and clucking like crazy as if something was attacking them. They were running everywhere inside my coop. When I got out there, they were still running and flapping, but I calmed them down and took a look around.

I didn’t find any kind of animal, nor any signs of animals getting into the coop and the run.

Whatever it was, it was small enough to get inside the run and coop without digging a hole, and big enough to attack the chickens.

Going out to look again and see if I can find any signs.

Any idea of what it could be?

Jared

 

[lazy gardener]

Could be as benign as a bee, or could be a mouse, rat, snake, or weasel.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Could it have been a hawk overhead? My run is covered but my chickens still freak out. I would double check for snakes too.

 

[Sue S]

Where are you located, what kind of predators do you have where you live????

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

Could it have been a hawk overhead? My run is covered but my chickens still freak out. I would double check for snakes too.

Mine do the same thing!

 

[GreatGranny]

Could it have been a hawk overhead? My run is covered but my chickens still freak out. I would double check for snakes too.

Same here, Kiki! My chickens go berzerk at the sound of a hawk, but we have a nest of them just behind our coop! No worries because the yard and the run are completely covered. The hawks moved in after my hubby was almost finished building the coop!

 

[jnicholes]

Hello,

I live in S. Western Idaho, not sure what kind of predators I have.

The chickens are OK, nobody’s hurt. There is no sign of any kind of animal, whether it be mouse or snake getting into the coop. I think you guys are right, could be a hawk.

If it happens again, I’ll start thinking about putting a cover over the run.

Jared

 

[rosemarythyme]

Could it have been a hawk overhead? My run is covered but my chickens still freak out.

Ever since I had a hawk attack my chickens are pretty alert to anything that flies by. Unfortunately for their paranoia, their run is between a pond and creek visited by 2 blue herons. You can imagine the panic when a large, ungainly bird suddenly takes to the sky only 10, 15 feet away from the run.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Could it have been a hawk overhead? My run is covered but my chickens still freak out....

Remember that your baby chicks freak out when you reached into their brooder from above even if you only intended to give your chicks some sugar.

 

[jnicholes]

Hello,

Update. I went out today and I noticed a few hens were breathing very slow and heavy. The same hens were sitting on the ground with their eyes closed. I thought they were dead at first, but they weren't. Either they were trying to sleep mid day outside, or they are sick. There was no sign of injury as far as I can tell. One hen that was doing this did have a black spot on her leg, was very small and was either an oval shape or two small spots close together. Hard to tell. After I got the hens water, they seemed motivated to move.

I think the predator is a snake.

I saw on an old post that there were plans for a snake trap here, that required rolled up mesh. if I heard right, could someone tell me where to find it?

What should I do about the slow heavy breathers?

Jared