Well...It happened...I'm sad and furious. UPDATED! CAUGHT 2!

[Jess N Jeff]

I live in a neighborhood also. I keep my girls locked up in the coop at night but let them out all day in an uncovered run. I have found that because we have dogs that run around the outer part of the chicken run, all preditors stay away. I've been told that the dogs scent keeps away unwanted pests. So far so good. Plus the girls are safely looked away at night so nothing can get them when the dogs come inside.

Good luck

 

[LindsayB]

We have 2 dogs but they are mostly inside dogs since our yard is so small. We still have critters come and go, apparently. I will post tomorrow what we catch!

 

[PortageGirl]

Not a possum, they don't carry off their meals, and if the do drag it off a little ways, they don't carry it up trees. Raccoons, well, somewhat possible but still not likely. Not sure where you're at, but larger cats like mountain lions and bobcats have been active in quite large cities without people really being aware of it.

Here's a list of predators that I made up for another forum. It's not perfect and others may well have input about it. Some are from my experience, some from what I've learned about wildlife from my own experiences with animals and from back while dating a fish and game guy!

Dog > By FAR!!!!! The Number one danger for most backyard flocks! Many birds in a flock will be mauled, killed, injured, dogs will chase and kill chickens for no good reason, to them it’s mostly “fun”. They’ll rarely eat any. Poorly kept dogs are a menace.

Coyote > Somewhat like dogs, but they’ll come in pairs usually and scatter a flock, kill several because they get in a bit of a frenzy over all the wings and squawking etc, but then take away a couple out to the bush to eat. Once these guys find a likely source of food, they’ll return the next evening and the next and again and again.

Domestic Cats > A feral cat could possibly kill a chicken, especially in an enclosed area, but it’s not easy and not common. Most people blame cats because they don’t realize how many raccoons, opossum, coyotes and fox are actually active in and very near cities and towns. Most well fed house-cats are pretty lame at trying to catch a chicken let alone kill one. It’s not impossible though.

Various wild Cat species > I have limited experience with cats, I lived where Lynx were occasionally seen but they are very shy so never bothered us. Mountain Lions, Lynx, Bobcat, Puma etc will all take chickens if they can. They will carry their prey off to a safe spot to eat it where they feel safe. Once they find a source of easy food they tend to visit again periodical for another try.

Mink/weasel/martin > Several killed, a lot of small bites, some portions eaten, especially heads and bellies. Mink do kill animals much larger than themselves and are incredibly fierce for their size. I have these since I live on a river… they're tricky to protect against, smart, agile, sneaky and hunt all hours of the day and night though they prefer dusk and dawn times. Very opportunistic hunters. Don't believe the old wives tales that they suck blood, they will lick it like a cat would, but they don't suck all the blood out of it's prey.

Raccoon > Several birds may be killed or just one. Raccoons will often just eat the heads and crops. Because of their very dexterous paws, if a raccoon can't can’t get into a coop or enclosure but can reach a chicken through a fence or opening, it will ‘grab’ a chicken and hold onto it while it dismembers it. (yeah, gross I know)

Hawk > One bird gone, a pile of feathers in an open area. Other parts nearby, sometimes only head eaten, depends on time of year (feeding young etc). Not all hawks will kill chickens, so don’t get worried about every sighting. The most likely ones are of the group called, “Broadwing Hawks” which is a larger type of hawk that includes: Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Rough-legged hawk, Ferruginous hawk and also, the Goshawk which is mostly in the very northern tier of the US and up into Canada.

Owl > a lot like hawks, but owls usually (most say exclusively) hunt at night. IMO they also hunt in the very early dawn, and at dusk too. Most owls eat only field mice, shrews, voles and other similar fairly small vermin they can swallow whole. The only owl that is actually big enough to kill a chicken is a Great Horned Owl. Keep your chickens in a coop, they’ll be safe from these guys.

People > Several birds gone, no sign of predator… yeah, it happens.

Fox > Several birds killed, usually by a broken neck, only one taken away. You may find part of a corpse and/or feathers nearby, they do take away and don’t like to eat in the coop.

Opossum > One or two birds dead, mauled. Mostly bellies eaten.

Skunk > Much like an Opossum, and they love eggs. Biggest clue is the smell of course, even if they don't spray, they'll leave scent.

Bear > door gone off of coop, or siding ripped off a section of a wall... fence destroyed, etc. you all knew that right?

Here's the link to the original post if you're interested. http://chickensintheroad.com/forum/...bears-and-other-smaller-predators-too/#p59314

 

[LindsayB]

here is a picture of our coop and run. Whatever it was had to be able to easily go up and down a fence. there were feathers all over the run and a huge pile under the coop. I'm guessing thats where the poor girl was killed and then dragged up the tree, over the fence, and into the woods. there was alot of dried blood under the coop too which leads me to believe it was not during daylight hours.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Quote:
Just about any predator could get into that pen. If your girls are not locked in that box at night, eventually they will all get eaten.

 

[LindsayB]

thank you. I will show my DH this. Maybe he will understand more after hearing it from someone else!

 

[PortageGirl]

Every single predator on that list can get into that pen. It's a beautiful little set up, one that anyone would be happy to have in their yard but it is not secure at all. They wouldn't even have to climb all that much and animals like fox can be incredibly nimble and climb up that woodpile and over the roof, jump down in and have dinner.

Lock them in the coop at night and they'll probably be safe, the coop looks pretty secure. The only thing that makes me hesitate to say that is I hope there's good ventilation because it looks like it could get very hot and stuffy. If you cut any windows or holes in it, make sure to cover them securely with small mesh hardware cloth, not chicken wire. Raccoons are strong enough to pull chicken wire apart, or nimble enough to reach in with their clever little paws to grab chunks of chicken. They're very groggy after dark and don't have the sense to stay away from bad critters.

A lot of people don't realize how many wild predators actually cruise through our suburban and even urban neighborhoods these days. As their wild spaces are shrinking, they're adapting to urban life. Fox, and coyotes are living in New York City for goodness sake! They figure out how to avoid people, hide during busy hours, and hunt and scavenge.

When I lived in Denver, there was a confirmed and documented case of a mountain lion living in the green belt area of the city for a little while, and when I lived in Anchorage AK, bears that had been radio collared, were tracked traveling through the city totally unseen by people for the most part. Very rarely, one would be spotted (less than once a year in the city proper, more often in the outskirts) but they had satellite tracked proof that they wandered through very often. Predators especially are very adaptable, don't underestimate them!

 

[LindsayB]

there is a window, its just not opened in the pic. its covered in wire from our old rabbit hutch. and where the roof meets the sides there is a 3 inch gap all the way around to help the heat escape. Its pretty hot here and the coop feels fine...

 

[chickintexas]

I just wanted to say that I love your little coop! It's so cute! Number one, though, I'd move it away from that fence and tree. Number two, cover the top with hardware cloth. If the run becomes three sided (with the coop as the fourth side) you could nail some boards on top of the 1 X 2's (I'm assuming that's what they are) running the top of the picket fence part and then secure the hardware cloth to those.
Good luck!

 

[LindsayB]

covering the run would be a great idea, thats what I wanted to do originally. Just have to see of DH wants to...I think he'll come to his senses now. He heard how upset I was on the phone. And I am NOT going to lose any more to predators.