What did this? 6 chickens dead, 2 injured, all bodies found

[jesirose]

Can hot wires stop a bobcat? Can't they...kind of leap or whatever? How high would they have to be?

I know last year there was a bobcat spotted in the city, about 15 miles south of here (in residential areas). I never heard that it got caught. I wouldn't have thought we had bobcats here (DFW, Texas) besides that one.

How big are they?


I really can't see this being a fox, but maybe I just don't know what a fox can do. It killed my biggest meanest rooster, and he doesn't even have a scratch on him. (And he was away from the pen, he got out or was carried out.)

 

[CatKai]

Some raccoons do have some red hair. They are strong enough to break welded wire. They will also kill for sport, leaving the bodies.

 

[Jimmyjaffee]

I've had many chickens killed in similar ways by raccoons, sometimes whole families of them show up. Most foxes and coyotes that have killed my chickens were very quick and swift. A single bite to the neck and it snaps. Raccoons will rip the chickens apart, feather by feather. Most of the time they would kill more then they need to and would leave behind a complete bloodbath. My guess would be a raccoon(s)

 

[vickifiveoh]

I had the same exact thing happen to me. A hole the same size. I had 14..... 2 month old chicks in it and it got every single one of them. My cage is waist high off of the ground. I have a trail cam I am going to put out. I also put a waterproof radio out in the coop area. I turn it on every night and I havent had a problem since. That was a month ago. I have a variety of predators around my house.....Bobcats, coyotes, bears etc.....

 

[jesirose]

Is hardware cloth enough to stop raccoons? How often does it need to be enforced by wood?

We are working on a new coop and run design, trying to see if we can make an entirely wooden coop area with a locking door, with a run with only hardware cloth, no welded wire. We can't afford to buy more materials at this point, so I'm trying to use the lumber we already have or what we can get for free. It's either that or sell the remaining chickens and try again in a year or two.

 

[MrsBachbach]

You know, a coon makes sense. That hole is big enough for a coon to get through, yet still too small for a dog. So I agree with the others, it is likely a coon. You could put hogwire on top of your hardcloth. My outside runs are made of chickenwire, but, I have a roll of hogwire on the outside bottom of the chicken wire. I did that just so coyotes and such couldn't tear though the chickenwire. It is small enough to keep larger animals out, but large enough that they can't get their teeth on more than one wire at a time, so they can't break it. They can try pulling on it, but it has enough give (we don't have it stretched tight) that they can't do anything with it. Also, make it dig proof. You can lay several inches of wire outward on the ground and throw some dirt on it. When they did they will hit the wire and it will discourage them. For doorways, bury some stepping stones or dig a small trench and pour concrete under the door.

 

[nellynelly]

i know it works with dogs, not sure about other predators. before the hot wire is on, smear a section with peanut butter. any animal that takes a taste gets a real good shock and should stay away.

 

[jesirose]

We think it was a dog.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/808359/updated-evidence-on-what-killed-my-chickens#post_11702765


We are building a new coop and, I'll post pictures of the plans. We bought a trail cam and aimed it at the remaining pen. So far the only thing showing up on it is our one loose rooster we can't catch. He wants to go back in but runs away when we try to help. *smh* Anyway if it was a dog it may have been a loose dog that is now back home, or maybe it was a stray. At least now if anything happens again we will *hopefully* have footage of it. My husband is too determined to quit now.

 

[wildrooster1]

i have chain link from the ground up about 4 ft then chicken wire on it,i have had a bobcat try to get in but after a few minutes unable to get it he went on about his business it works good.
Hope he doesnt copme back and sorry for the loss of the babys.
WildRooster1