What could do this?!?!

[ChobeeChickenMommy]

Someone please help!!! Something got into my coup yesterday early morning & attacked Luna, my broody Japanese Bantam Cross; && cracked open her eggs along with my silkie Sparkle's eggs she was sitting on. I am going to try & get a few pictures of the aftermath, & my poor Luna. What ever it was really messed her face & beak up. I don't know what to do for her. We brought her inside & made her a nest in one of my boys old baby bath tubs w/ a little things of water & feed. Her eyes are swollen shut & her beak looks "out of place"... I don't know what to do for her. We can't afford to take her to a vet, but I don't have the heart to put her down. She is my 2 year olds pet, he loves her so much & is devastated right now... Any ideas as to what got in? I am thinking a raccoon...

 

[sparkles2307]

A skunk could have. I'd thinka raccoon would have killed the bird. Skunks will try to get to the eggs, and if the bird wont move she gets hurt in the scuffle, at least that has been my experience. And it wouldn't necessarily smell of skunk in there afterward.

 

[darin367]

my experience with coons is that they kill everything in sight... had em kill 18 in one attack.. never had anything go after eggs..... weasel maybe...

 

[ChobeeChickenMommy]

Luna passed peacefully while sleeping in my arms this afternoon. These are the pics of her before I gently cleaned her.


&& here are what the eggs looked like.

 

[TammyP]

So sorry for your loss and trauma thru it.

Sprinkle flour around the coop outside..... you might have footprints to help you figure it out.

It might try to come back since it now knows where the buffet is..... unfortunately.

~Tammy

 

[bj taylor]

the flour is a really good idea. i will remember that. although i hope i don't have the trauma chobeechickenmom has. that's just terrible. really sorry

 

[Sunny Side Up]

If the ground around the coop is soft enough to take an imprint you could just sweep it smooth after putting your birds away for the night. Then you'll see the footprints of anything prowling around overnight. I think this predator could be an opossum, they like eggs and will injure the setting hens trying to defend them, but not necessarily kill or eat the hens.

 

[speedy2020]

It's time to setup a live trap.

 

[Mattemma]

Poor Luna and future chicks. I can not imagine what could have done it,but I would be set some traps big and small. Flour or sand around the coop for prints.Heck even a game cam if you have the money.

I just caught my 17th coon after weeks of nothing in the trap.Trying to get the cottontails before they munch all my saplings,but instead I get a coon.Porbably one of the last.Traps are worth their money.

Hope you get some chicks in the spring.I saw TSC has them next week. Again, so sorry.Very sad when any chickens get killed,but more so imo when it is a momma and her babies.

 

[Lute]

Sounds like a weasle to me. Every now and again they'd attack my mother's coop when I was a kid. Nasty little buggers. How deep is the fence buried? Have you found a spot where it dug under the fence?

I don't know if we have weasles in my area (new mexico) but I know for a fact we have skunks so I'll be burying my fence at least 6 inches down. Better safe than sorry.