weasel!!

[landofmarmots]

Just for the record, whatever got into my coop probably had to climb UP the turret and through the larger fencing at top. Everything else is doubled up six ways to Sunday (we also have 2 rabbits - untouched - that have not escaped this enclosure). Dead hens found just behind upper red door.
Margaret

 

[sanghe]

My worst nightmare! My heart breaks for all of you who lost chickens to these predators. Do weasels come out in the day? Do they dig holes? I have hardware
cloth wrapped around everything for night but in the day they have some wood fencing with hardware cloth covering the top for hawks. I've outsmarted the rats but
these weasels sound like monsters.

 

[landofmarmots]

Thanks for your kind thoughts. Wish I had read more of these forums before building our coop, but didn't even know we had those varmints here - hoping to warn other chicken owners in Colorado!

 

[tammy m]

Hi. This is Tammy that had lost the chickens to the weasels. Did you ever figure out what had happened to yours for sure? Im going to get more chicks this spring. Im hoping to get some chicks from the last one i have left from the attack, after i get a rooster. The friend that had givin me the chickens died from cancer a couple of months ago and i would like to be able to keep the one i have left producing baby chicks.

 

[Tabuja007]

today we lost 13 chickens to what i think was a weasel. all there necks were wrung and 3 were headless. do you think thats what it is?

 

[Tabuja007]

our chicken mesh is 3"x4" around sides and chicken wire across top.

 

[tammy m]

Im sooooo sorry for your loss! Was it at night or during the day? They usualy only kill at night whenv the chickens are sleepy. Were they put all in a line all neet like?

 

[blucoondawg]

What is the reasoning behind the weasel lining up the dead birds? I haven't heard this before, my only experience with weasel was my boss's daughter's rabbit got killed and the weasel tried to pull it into the hole under the building where it entered the rabbit yard.

 

[tammy m]

That is a trate of theres when they go on a killing frenzie. There is other preditors that will also take the chickens heads etc. Like skunks . But weasles will pile them neatly or line them up.

 

[farmer boy]

i have those around here but i am not worried about them i have a hole where a cat can fit through but if one gets through u got to deal with 2 big drakes that sleep on the floor of the coop and they will be protecting their females and i have many roosters so i am not worried about those annoying little pests ... im sorry for your guys losses .. idk what weasels are afraid of but im guessing my big drakes might scare them my biggest drake is 10 pounds and the female is bigger then him but if any of my chickens were on the ground im pretty sure a weasel would try to take it but my two big roosters might go down and try to help them i got this other roo a houdan if u pick up a hen and it squawks he will puff his feathers up and start running at u so i think i would be safe from those idk about bigger animals though i also have 3 dogs but i had some raccoon's in my yard before fighting at night time but i never had any problems with them so i have no idea how to handle them