What is killing my chickens?!

[AllynTal]

...The first one, a young rooster, tried to fly into the run wall where there is a small hole (cut into the wire by us to allow easy access to the chicken door) to get away from whatever it was and got his leg stuck and was hanging upside down on the outside of the run. His head, leg, and insides were eaten. There was no obvious point of entry.....

The more I think about this, the more it seems obvious to me.....the rooster wasn't trying to fly out that hole. The predator was likely trying to drag him out through the hole -- most likely the hole he gained entry through -- and the chicken's leg became stuck so the predator had to eat him when he hung.

 

[carlf]

Raccoon. Get a box trap, place it right next to the coop and bait with marshmallows.
Do you have a way to dispatch critter?
Need a .22 or high power pellet rifle.

 

[EthansChickens3]

Bait it with old sardines

 

[carlf]

Did the Thread Starter ever report back???

 

[EthansChickens3]

No

 

[Georgia USMC R]

My advice is to get an inexpensive game camera and monitor it each night. You might be shocked at the amount of activity around your coop at night. I evaluate my coop each day and check to see if there is any damage caused by an attempted break in. I have been lucky so far but it is not because of a lack of predators near my coop. I got this one last night but my game camera showed an opossum and a feral cat checking things out.

This is daytime,



This is the same shot same camera at night.



Same raccoon, relocated him but there are at least 3 more plus the other predators around. You can only be vigilant and do your best to keep the girls coop secure. Good luck.

 

[carlf]

Please don't relocate raccoons.

It is illegal to move live carnivores in your state (GA defines raccoons as carnivores):

http://georgiawildlife.com/node/1168

http://www.georgiawildlife.org/site...cial_permits/WildlifeControlPermitWebInfo.pdf

 

[Georgia USMC R]

Didn't really relocate him off the property, just hosed him down and scared him to make him not come back. I am well aware of the laws of Georgia. I have been a trapper in Georgia for many years. I could have killed him and kept it quiet but I don't kill animals doing what is natural to them. I am just trying to keep my chickens from getting attacked. I hope just being caught and hosed will deter him. Thank you for your nice post, it was very pleasantly worded and in keeping with the neighborly spirit of the website.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My advice is to get an inexpensive game camera and monitor it each night. You might be shocked at the amount of activity around your coop at night. ...


Same raccoon, relocated him but there are at least 3 more plus the other predators around. You can only be vigilant and do your best to keep the girls coop secure. Good luck.

That is a very important point. People don't see them because they're inside sleeping and don't know there is anything out there.
You're right that there are at least 3 more. Probably closer to 20 more and when those are eliminated, more will move in to take their place.

Didn't really relocate him off the property, just hosed him down and scared him to make him not come back. I am well aware of the laws of Georgia. I have been a trapper in Georgia for many years. I could have killed him and kept it quiet but I don't kill animals doing what is natural to them. I am just trying to keep my chickens from getting attacked. I hope just being caught and hosed will deter him. Thank you for your nice post, it was very pleasantly worded and in keeping with the neighborly spirit of the website.

I don't believe you are keeping it from coming back, you just made it trap savvy. It will be back and avoid the trap.

I wish the OP would report back with an update.

 

[centrarchid]

I think he can make a given raccoon not want to come back.