Big pack of coyotes here last night. I woke up at 2am to a large pack of screaming coyotes.
Couldn't tell if it was my property or my neighbor. I flipped on the house lights and went out which seemed to scare them off. I think they were just behind the fence and after my neighbors chickens or goats. I know they'll be back. My barn dog Aussie didn't alarm so I know they weren't near my coop but...
Well perhaps someone will know the answer to my question. I came out this morning and found all kind of prints outside the door once again. Well this time no Chickens were missing, thank god! They were small prints, don't look anything like a raccoon, but more like a cats. Well I have cats and these prints had round toes, but these toes are all the same length without any nail marks.
At any rate NO ONE wanted to go back into the coop tonight. I went through it many times checking peeking into every corner, to no avail. The guineas at least 2 are perched up in a tall tree the third may be up there now I hope. The Chickens are in one of my guest soon to be a bar room. We haven't done any remodeling in there and that's the room they were in before they went outside.
As shown in these 2 photos, my chickens NEVER came upon the back porch or even this close. And the second is, after I clod hopped to the door and ruined just about all the prints, the print of my intruder. My boyfriend says it might be a weasel, mink or even one of the feral cats around.
Well perhaps someone will know the answer to my question. I came out this morning and found all kind of prints outside the door once again. Well this time no Chickens were missing, thank god! They were small prints, don't look anything like a raccoon, but more like a cats. Well I have cats and these prints had round toes, but these toes are all the same length without any nail marks.
At any rate NO ONE wanted to go back into the coop tonight. I went through it many times checking peeking into every corner, to no avail. The guineas at least 2 are perched up in a tall tree the third may be up there now I hope. The Chickens are in one of my guest soon to be a bar room. We haven't done any remodeling in there and that's the room they were in before they went outside.
As shown in these 2 photos, my chickens NEVER came upon the back porch or even this close. And the second is, after I clod hopped to the door and ruined just about all the prints, the print of my intruder. My boyfriend says it might be a weasel, mink or even one of the feral cats around.
Well perhaps someone will know the answer to my question. I came out this morning and found all kind of prints outside the door once again. Well this time no Chickens were missing, thank god! They were small prints, don't look anything like a raccoon, but more like a cats. Well I have cats and these prints had round toes, but these toes are all the same length without any nail marks.
At any rate NO ONE wanted to go back into the coop tonight. I went through it many times checking peeking into every corner, to no avail. The guineas at least 2 are perched up in a tall tree the third may be up there now I hope. The Chickens are in one of my guest soon to be a bar room. We haven't done any remodeling in there and that's the room they were in before they went outside.
As shown in these 2 photos, my chickens NEVER came upon the back porch or even this close. And the second is, after I clod hopped to the door and ruined just about all the prints, the print of my intruder. My boyfriend says it might be a weasel, mink or even one of the feral cats around.
I'm not a print expert, but I would definitely set a trap immediately! If it is mink or weasel, thew will find a way. You may accidentally catch your cats, or you could try a squirrel trap. Bait it with tuna or canned fishy cat food. I use have-a-heart traps. "Welcome to the Hotel California.
In five years of owning chickens I've only lost four to something other than myself. Three of those were my first batch and very first night putting them outside (mink). Since then I've learned how to keep them protected with minimal costs. Now live in a virtual predator preservation park of over a thousand acres and not lost a bird to anything but myself. What can I say? Chicken tastes good and none of my cockerels go to a retirement farm to live out their days.
A weasel box is kinda like a shoebox with a hole cut in one end ... Some type of trap is placed inside so the weasel has to trip it as it try's to go by to the bait ... Rat snap traps, small conibear, or even a tiny leghold will work ...
Weasels like to investigate holes and tunnels ... And the smell of dinner really gets their feet moving!
Sorry for the delay in adding the link, my phone screen froze up ... I'm bored and waiting for a shipper to load my semi truck ... Been waiting almost seven hours! So I've been online a lot this afternoon, so it was quite hot, and has been flakey!
