URGENT MINK PROBLEM!!

[JessMay]

These are all daytime kills? Condition of carcass was as of time of kill, or over period of day or so.....or at least overnight?

Still don't think mink (they rip heads off, but will kill a whole lot more than 1 or 2, and don't stop to strip the carcass). Also doubt fisher, as you don't have those in IL.

Candidates for ripping heads off and eating some breast would be coons, which are ALWAYS suspect, as they are responsible for such a high percentage of losses overall. But they normally operate at night. Not always, but normally. Owls will also rip heads off and eat crops......and other varmints will help clean up the mess. That also looks like a possum has been helping out. Same with skunks. But all that is normally done at night.

Hawks will kill birds and eat some breast meat......leaving a pile of feathers and carcass where they did the deed. Daytime. A fox or bobcat can snatch a free range bird during daylight hours and disappear with it. And often come back for more.

Nothing sounds consistent with a single predator. So I agree, you got a lot going on and they may be working in concert against you.

Holes and tunnels could still be rats, gophers or do you have ground squirrels? Of those, only rats are a threat. The rest might be bait attracting some of your predators.....who dine on rodents.....and chickens alike.

We found the night time killer. Whole bunch of raccoons that are jumping from a tree, to the roof of the shed and then inside the run. We’re fixing it up within the next few days. HUGE coons and a family of them too. Also, I found the big thing that comes out during the day. Do you know what this thing is? It has a big fluffy tail. Too big to be a groundhog

 

[Painted Calls]

We found the night time killer. Whole bunch of raccoons that are jumping from a tree, to the roof of the shed and then inside the run. We’re fixing it up within the next few days. HUGE coons and a family of them too. Also, I found the big thing that comes out during the day. Do you know what this thing is? It has a big fluffy tail. Too big to be a groundhog View attachment 2077624

The sooner you fix it up, the better for your birds. I'm glad you finally know what's been causing all the trouble!

That's a groundhog. It's just a big one.

 

[JessMay]

The sooner you fix it up, the better for your birds. I'm glad you finally know what's been causing all the trouble!

That's a groundhog. It's just a big one.

Starting this week! Should I be worried about them if they’re groundhogs? Saw this thing run into the hay barn where I found a few feathers of the chickens that were attacked.

 

[Painted Calls]

Starting this week! Should I be worried about them if they’re groundhogs? Saw this thing run into the hay barn where I found a few feathers of the chickens that were attacked. View attachment 2077636

Groundhogs are herbivores and very timid. The only time I'd worry about them is if they're tunneling under your coop/run. In that instance I'd not worry about the groundhogs doing harm, but any other animals using their tunnels to get in.

 

[aart]

In that instance I'd not worry about the groundhogs doing harm,

Other than undermining building foundations....or decimating a vegetable garden.
Not fond of groundhogs.

 

[Painted Calls]

Other than undermining building foundations....or decimating a vegetable garden.
Not fond of groundhogs.

**Not doing any harm to the chickens

They make good BBQ. That's always an option.

 

[aart]

They make good BBQ. That's always an option.

Really?

 

[Painted Calls]

Really?

Oh yeah!

 

[sourland]

Really?

Young ones are best.

 

[aart]

Huh.