Weasel?

[nchls school]

We covered up the hole it came in through and 2 other tiny holes today with plywood. Its a sturdy old coop, but its just that. Old. This weekend we're going to get more plywood and re-cover the outside even though it seems to be solid. We let them roam the yard (its an 80 acre farm so its a big yard) during the day but now I'm afraid to do that since I don't know if they will be safe With a weasel they would not be safe during the day outside. Are you sure it was a weasel? Rats will also kill chickens in the way you mentioned. or not. I worry about the hawks I have this worry too. My seramas are very small (some less than a pound) and a hawk would have no trouble making off with one. enough as it is.




So true. We think that's exactly what happened. The hole in the floor was close to the feeder. I think originally mice would come in and eat the food at night. Been meaning to cover it for awhile now  They liked to sleep on the garbage can we keep the feed in next to the feeder. Think the b*stard came up through the hole This sounds very much like a rat problem. , snatched her off asleep and tried to take her back through the hole.

 

[MaidensMom]

I realized my mistake in letting them out in the yard after the fact. They will be kept locked up until the weasel is caught, as much as they may protest. Pretty sure it was a weasel, the neighbors brother had his whole flock taken out by 2 of them. We keep things clean, don't really have much of a rodent problem.

 

[nchls school]

I realized my mistake in letting them out in the yard after the fact. They will be kept locked up until the weasel is caught, as much as they may protest. Pretty sure it was a weasel, the neighbors brother had his whole flock taken out by 2 of them. We keep things clean, don't really have much of a rodent problem.

If there's feed to be had even the cleanest place is in danger of getting rats. I hope you catch the problem. Good luck.

 

[Justso]

I just lost my three layers to a weasel, probably an ermine. It previously killed a whole coop of my neighbor's quail and she found it curled up napping in the corner.
A heartbreaker for me because one of the hens killed I personally hatched out from an egg and was 7 years old & still layed about once a week.
I wanted to set out a live trap, but truthfully if I had killed it one more would have taken it's place and maybe been a daytime killer. I decided to retire that coop and shore up the new one with my chicks in it. You can't kill off every predator to chickens.

 

[Jason McGowen]

Mink are the worst to deal with imho. It's fairly simple to keep coons and such out but mink are determined once they find food and if they can get their nose started in an opening they will get in. I've trapped what seems to be hundreds during trapping season here in Indiana. A really dumb animal that is an overly determined predator. I caught one for a buddy of mine last winter. It was a 21" long buck mink that got through an 1.5" opening. Killed 38 of his 42 bantys in one night.