We think a possum killed our chickens

[LoveMySiouxsie87]

Raccoons definitely drag their prey off elsewhere. Not saying it was a raccoon, but I wouldn't discount it because it took one off. One took three of mine off to never been seen again, and I found the corpse of the other killed was drug across the yard.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Racoons here always carry the body off...usually under my Gazebo, one time IN IT! Grrrrrrrrrrr. No heads, just feathers where the chicken was killed and often the body somewhere else half eaten.

They are clever and very handy with their front paws...which are like hands...and can reach in and pull the head off a chicken through a chain link fence.

My hen houses are like fortresses now...am sooo sick of the devastation that racoons have caused. Even killed one of my cats!

 

[Maryallison]

I thank everyone for their stories and ideas. Well, last night we seemed to be ok. DH made the minor improvements with the 2x4s to the bottom sides of the coop. Let's just think happy chicken thought for me please. In a few months my DH will be making the new chicken house and it will be preditor proof. And I just thought I was protecting them from the neighbors loose dogs. I didn't know a racoon or possum could be so crule.

And if I have to move the flock to my rabbit barn I will. It'll be messy, but I know how to rake.

I love my chickens and just want them to be safe!

 

[LoveMySiouxsie87]

I was exactly the same, I didn't even close the coop door every night. It happens once and then you learn.

 

[Maryallison]

Yes LoveMySiouxsie87 I have learned.....the hard way by loosing a favorite hen......

Lets just all cross your fingers for me. I only got 1 egg from the coop today. It is sad that I only have a few hens left. My days of 6 eggs a day are over till fall when the newbies start to lay.

 

[Sillystunt]

Sorry to hear! That must really hurt! Sending Huggs your way........

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Ouch! The simple solution is trap and gun. In the meantime, you had better relocate the hens to the rabbit hutch.
Get a flashlight and stand by. It might be a long night....

 

[chickenguysmom]

Wow. Sorry for your loss. I didn't know they always took your favorite one, but it happened to us too.

From what I know from a good ol' boy when it happened to us ....... Raccoons will kill everything they can get their hands on just for fun so you awake to dismemberment all over your coop or pen. An opossom on the other hand will take just one and sometimes isn't even after the chicken itself but the eggs inside. Our Big Red (aka Chicken Guy) was out on the lawn with an egg shell pieces around her. They kill the chicken because they have a jones for eggs. I'd like to think she put up a good defense and saved the others from a like demise. So we figured possom?

Don't know if it's true or not ..... just something a local redneck told me. Sorry about your gals though. I bet they were something special.

 

[Maryallison]

thanks everybody