What did this?

[lorihadams]

I am just sick. I had 27 meat birds in a chicken tractor that had lattice attached to the sides on top of chicken wire. One panel of the lattice has been torn off, 20 the birds are dead in the tractor and 7 are missing. These were large cornish x, about 3 weeks from butcher date. It appears that something climbed up the side, ripping the lattice panel off in the process, and pulled the chicken wire down from the top and crawled in. There is no other point of entry. So whatever it was had to pull 7 whole birds up and over the inside of the tractor at a 45 degree angle (it is triangle shaped). What could have done this? There is very little blood and only one of the birds left has any marks on it on the breast but nothing major.

 

[dracoe19]

Part of me would say raccoon because of the killing spree and not really taking anything but it could also be a mink. They kill without really breaking the skin or damaging the bird. But.... to pull them up and out I would say raccoon. Those guys are a real pain sometimes and prefer to kill rather than eat... That is why I would much rather have a fox break in than a raccoon. At least the fox doesn't waste.

 

[Mattemma]

Coons maybe.Set a havahart trap.They always come back for an easy meal.Make THEM the meal next time! Sorry for your loses.

 

[missnu01]

Could it have been a large dog or coyote? I ask because of the number of dead chickens, and a dog could rip down lattice and chicken wire if it was of a mind to do so. Raccoons as well, but they aren't terrible strong, unless it was a really large one.

 

[dracoe19]

Between a dog and a Coyote I would say coyote. I have never met a dog that determined as to climb up the side then tear it open. It would also probably get stuck. Never had a coyote strike so I'm not sure how they kill and what kind of mess they leave. Since it was opened at the top part I still think Raccoon because it would still be able to climb out easily while a canine would either tear its way out or be stuck until found.

 

[missnu01]

And dogs usually tear stuff to pieces, whereas coyotes will tear it up, or usually drag it off and then tear it up...
So I was probably wrong on that one...but are raccoons strong enough to tear the chicken wire and what not off?

 

[dracoe19]

Yup they are. In my area I don't have many problems with them but in Ohio I hear about people having raccoons rip open chickens wire and kill everything. I think they are one of the most irritating predators because they will find the one hole in your coop/ chicken wire or they will tear apart your fence. Many people say just get hard wire rather than chicken wire because it can't be torn apart as easily and they can't pull something through the fence either. The one time I had a problem was when I had quail in an aviary and a raccoon was ripping them through the fence. I sadly had to sell the rest so they wouldn't be killed.

 

[missnu01]

I have seen raccoons, but not had to deal with any of them personally. We have a lot of skunks...a lot of them where i am ... but our chickens are up a flight of stairs locked behind a door so I don't see how too many predators can give us much issue...there is no way into where they are at night unless you have a ladder...Lol. I pull the ramp in at night...so...I am hoping that will be good enough. We used to see bears, but we had a massive dog that tried to kill everything that moved and he scared away just about everything before we had to rehome him...You would be amazed what a good deal of giant dog pee can deter. Marking isn't just annoying...it can also be useful. Kept critters out of my garden for many years running.

 

[missnu01]

I guess it was raccoons then. I don't know much that would go through the trouble of ripping stuff apart other than dogs, but dogs leave a mess...so...

 

[MsChickenMomma]

I don't know what would do something like that. I don't think it's a coon. We had 2 very large coons climb through our chickens coop this spring, and they each killed a hen. They actually ate them too. It was a horrifying thing to see when I went out to feed them. One of them was still alive too, and the flesh on her back was completely gone. So I don't think it's a raccoon.

It may be a coyote. Not sure though because I have had many problems like this. We live by the woods and just recently had something try to get at my goats. I'm almost positive it was coyotes because I heard them howling and stuff in the woods the night before.