What is it?

[matty1237958]

For the past 2 nights, something has dug under my run. They havent gotten any of my hens. Doesnt look like food is missing. The hole is right on the edge. Only about 3 inches deep. The first night the coop door which is inside the enclose run was open and no chickens harmed. Second night, i closes it. And tonight i closes it and set a smal trap where they are digging up with apples and penut butter. What would you recomend? The spot where the critter is digging is the only section about 2 feet where there is no fence buried. I love my hens, so im scared. I think they are safe because after 2 nights nothing has gotten them, so why the 3rd.

 

[Toddrick]

It could be mice. I've seen them dig under my coop before. I think they would just come in at night and eat the spilled food. If you can keep the food off the ground it might help if it is mice. I just laid some bricks along the ground where the holes are.

 

[matty1237958]

It could be mice. I've seen them dig under my coop before. I think they would just come in at night and eat the spilled food. If you can keep the food off the ground it might help if it is mice. I just laid some bricks along the ground where the holes are.

This was the first hole

 

[Toddrick]

This was the first hole

Uh oh, that doesn't look like a mouse hole, because they are round. Something bigger had to slip through that.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

For the past 2 nights, something has dug under my run. They havent gotten any of my hens. Doesnt look like food is missing. The hole is right on the edge. Only about 3 inches deep. The first night the coop door which is inside the enclose run was open and no chickens harmed. Second night, i closes it. And tonight i closes it and set a smal trap where they are digging up with apples and penut butter. What would you recomend? The spot where the critter is digging is the only section about 2 feet where there is no fence buried. I love my hens, so im scared. I think they are safe because after 2 nights nothing has gotten them, so why the 3rd.

Why not just go ahead and bury some fencing over that section? The fact that there hasn't been a bird taken in the last two nights does NOT mean that one won't be taken on day 3, 4 or 5. You have an active predator, and that has to be taken seriously.

 

[matty1237958]

Uh oh, that doesn't look like a mouse hole, because they are round. Something bigger had to slip through that.

I know we have fish cats, wheasles, foxes, raccoons, and coyotes. But im just confused because all the chcikens were counted for!

 

[Toddrick]

I know we have fish cats, wheasles, foxes, raccoons, and coyotes. But im just confused because all the chcikens were counted for!

Like Mare said, put hardware cloth down. Just because they didn't take a chicken doesn't mean it wasn't a predator. They often scope the scene and return multiple times. Maybe it was scared to go up the ramp, but will be braver next time.

 

[matty1237958]

Like Mare said, put hardware cloth down. Just because they didn't take a chicken doesn't mean it wasn't a predator. They often scope the scene and return multiple times. Maybe it was scared to go up the ramp, but will be braver next time.

Why not just go ahead and bury some fencing over that section?  The fact that there hasn't been a bird taken in the last two nights does NOT mean that one won't be taken on day 3, 4 or 5.  You have an active predator, and that has to be taken seriously.

Thanks you guys!
I put a 2 big pavers in the spot that doesnt have wire buried. I closed their coop door and put a log up to keep it ckosed as the latch is broken. Lets hope the trap catches what ever this is! I hope my hens are safe throughout the night!!! Im just praying

 

[matty1237958]

Like Mare said, put hardware cloth down. Just because they didn't take a chicken doesn't mean it wasn't a predator. They often scope the scene and return multiple times. Maybe it was scared to go up the ramp, but will be braver next time.

Why not just go ahead and bury some fencing over that section?  The fact that there hasn't been a bird taken in the last two nights does NOT mean that one won't be taken on day 3, 4 or 5.  You have an active predator, and that has to be taken seriously.

I just walked outside with a flash light, a saw at least 2 raccons about to enter my backyard. The flashlight scared them away and we herd them running. Do you think those are them? The whole doesnt seem big enough for them to get under. Or are they able to squeeze into the hole shown in the picture above? I hope they were the predator and they are scared off for at least tonight. I have all day tommorow to fix the coop up to make it predator proof even more!

 

[Toddrick]

The live trap is definitely a good idea.

You don't have to bury the fence. You can just drape a one or two foot strip along the ground on the outside, and staple it to the lower frame. You can then cover it with rocks and/or stake it into the ground. When the predator tries to dig it will be digging into metal fence.