What did this??? :(

[LeciaBee]

But this is hardware cloth, much stronger than chicken wire, and for the most part thought to be impenetrable to predators.
That's why we are all really interested to find out how the hardware cloth got ripped like that.

You would be surprised what a hungry animal could do. But I would def be looking for any evidence of anything other than an animal getting in there! It always breaks my heart to see stuff like this. We just got an order of 21 one day old chicks and they will be staying in my brooder boxes inside my house for quite sometime.

 

[Ali707]

I'm not really sure why I thought it could be a person...it just doesn't make sense to me that an animal could have done it. Once my husband removed the damaged hardware cloth, we did find a very small piece of what appears to be fur. So...I guess I will just assume it was a fox.

Did you happen to get a picture of the fur? Maybe someone could identify it.....? Just so you know what you are dealing with. If you know what you are dealing with you can better protect against it.

I agree though don't let this awful incident stop you. Chickens are worth the effort in my opinion.

 

[gallavant]

My first guess was a bear or a really really big raccoon? I know they tend to carry them off - - I'm so sorry that this happened to you!

 

[rebirdchild]

The only thing other than a person that would have done this is probably a coyote. They are well adapted to urban living and are a big issue in the cities of California where small children have actually been attacked. The coyotes in the eastern US are said to have wolf genetics in them because the settlers drove them to near extinction and many mated with coyotes. The eastern coyote is much larger and has more of a wolf-like skull than its western cousins. So I am sure if it really wanted to it could have no problem chewing through the hardware cloth. The little evidence that was left also points to a canine species. The pics won't come up on my phone but what you are describing seems a little fishy to me. If something chewed through it there would likely be saliva, blood, fur etc.

I am sorry for your losses but I hope this info helps!

 

[rebirdchild]

I agree... you should post a picture of the fur if you still have it. Also, you shouldn't let this discourage you from chicken keeping...it is a fun a rewarding hobby even if you have some hiccups along the way. I would recommend cattle pannels with the hardware cloth if you want a really heavy duty fence. You could also make a hundred dollar investment to set up a trail camera. You could see what is sneaking around there at night. Good luck!

 

[superm0m]

I know it's tiny, but this is literally the only sign of anything. My husband found it when he was snipping around the edges. It has a reddish tint to it, but I'm not sure if you will be able to tell or not.

And I am more than happy to tell you all I have 6 new girls that we are bound and determined to keep safe! My husband built a whole 2nd story to the existing coop and has more than reinforced everything. They are still inside right now but we should move them out in the next week or two. I'm still a little hesitant but will have some faith! Thanks again for all the support. I will post pics of the new girls soon!

 

[aggiemae]

they say once a dog gets the taste of blood, they don't stop.

I am sorry for anyone who losses a pet to a predator (including another pet) and it is true that some breeds of dogs are entirely incompatible with birds but the "taste of blood" thing is actually a myth.

 

[shmccarthy]

I know it's tiny, but this is literally the only sign of anything. My husband found it when he was snipping around the edges. It has a reddish tint to it, but I'm not sure if you will be able to tell or not.

And I am more than happy to tell you all I have 6 new girls that we are bound and determined to keep safe! My husband built a whole 2nd story to the existing coop and has more than reinforced everything. They are still inside right now but we should move them out in the next week or two. I'm still a little hesitant but will have some faith! Thanks again for all the support. I will post pics of the new girls soon!

Red fur may mean a red fox

 

[MarkF]

That hole that was ripped open looks like it is 2 ft off the ground, thoughts are of a fox standing on its hind legs and still having enough power/leverage to shred hardware cloth like that?! I would wager money on a much larger animal, most likely a large dog with a red collar...

 

[jesirose]

That hole that was ripped open looks like it is 2 ft off the ground, thoughts are of a fox standing on its hind legs and still having enough power/leverage to shred hardware cloth like that?! I would wager money on a much larger animal, most likely a large dog with a red collar...

And this large dog got through that little hole, halfway up the wall, got the chickens and took them back out through the same tiny hole?


The whole thing is suspicious. Hardware cloth doesn't just tear like that.