I hate this. Two weeks ago it was my RIR hen, just started laying(!)- I accidently left the gate open and poof, gone without a trace in broad daylight.
Tonight, it's my four week old Cochin and Turken. I left them out, and despite me telling my parents that we needed to get back to the house to put them inside for the night, they ignored me until it was about nine and my poor pullets pay the price. Apparently they slipped out a hole in the coop, and all I could find was a trail of white feathers leading into the forest.
I'm thinking fox or raccoon. Am I right? And whatever this is, how should I catch it and permanently remove it? I was thinking a trap would work.
Note that this all happened right under the noses of three dogs, so whatever it is is very sneaky... and with tonight's incident as well as the RIR's incident the dogs were very territorial when they went up to the coop with us, they were scratching and snarling and marking the ground.
I apologize for any spelling/gramatical errors, I am very angry and writing fast.
Tonight, it's my four week old Cochin and Turken. I left them out, and despite me telling my parents that we needed to get back to the house to put them inside for the night, they ignored me until it was about nine and my poor pullets pay the price. Apparently they slipped out a hole in the coop, and all I could find was a trail of white feathers leading into the forest.
I'm thinking fox or raccoon. Am I right? And whatever this is, how should I catch it and permanently remove it? I was thinking a trap would work.
Note that this all happened right under the noses of three dogs, so whatever it is is very sneaky... and with tonight's incident as well as the RIR's incident the dogs were very territorial when they went up to the coop with us, they were scratching and snarling and marking the ground.
I apologize for any spelling/gramatical errors, I am very angry and writing fast.
