We think a possum killed our chickens

[Maryallison]

I am so sad. We have had chickens over a year now and this is our 1st attack.

I am just heart broken. "Something" killed my bantam and my frizzle is just gone. I am just devestated. The chicken wire was pulled back and feathers were everywhere. My bantam was not eaten, just killed. We used big sheets of metal roofing for the fencing around the coop area and then the coop was just made out of chicken wire. I am really worried that whatever did this may come back tonight!!!!!!!! What do I do? I have a rabbit barn with walls that are 6 foot tall. Can a possum climb a straight wall like that till we can redo the coop? I am just soooooo worried.


Thanks...

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry for your loss! This sounds more like the work of a raccoon, I don't think opossums are that ambitious to pull back wire. Whatever it was, I'd set some live traps and keep the chickens in the safest place you can find. I wish you success in your hunt & safety for your chickens!

 

[Maryallison]

Oh & that was Autum in the picture with me. She was so pretty. Prettiest frizzle ever!

 

[Maryallison]

I live way out in the country & I have actually never seen a raccoon. Now we have seen quite a few possom. I am hoping possom are dumb & won't remember where my coop is. I am thinking of taking my flock to the rabbit barn tonight though.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

That's Murphy's Law of Chicken Depredation: Your favorite ones get taken first. It's always so hard to bear.

I'm in western West Palm Beach, where is Fountain, FL?

 

[Cetawin]

Look for a raccoon for sure. Get a trap to trap him and dispatch him. Keep the chickens up safely until you catch the varmit.

I am so sorry for your losses.

 

[Maryallison]

I am up here in the panhandle of Florida by Panama City...well 30 miles north of Panama City.

DH says the chicken wire was just pushed back...he is going to do some improvements after dinner. He is going to hammer 2x4s at the base of the fenceline so it is secure. I hope everything is ok after this. I will move the flock if I need too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

From this, I'd think your predator is a fox. Don't know if you have coyotes there.

http://osuextra.okstate.edu/pdfs/F-8204web.pdf

 

[LoveMySiouxsie87]

I'm really really sorry.
I've had 4 hens killed by a raccoon, and 2 others were attacked by one. I found them covered in blood and barely alive- one of them's skull was showing, but the two survived and are happy and healthy now.
I know it was a raccoon because it bit their heads and because I've seen a giant raccoon in my backyard before the attack (and lovingly named him). If you haven't seen any raccoons though...maybe its something else. I say hide the hens somewhere, put out a trap and keep a look out in the wee hours of the night when predators come out.

 

[countrypreacher]

If it killed one and took the other one off I would say a fox or a bobcat....Usually a raccoon will not carry antyhing off. A fox will take things back to thier den and a bobcat will take thiers in a tree...