What preditor can squeeze through a 2"x3" hole and eat chickens in NYS

[Daniel Gleich]

We live in Rockland County, NY. We have a 12' x 15' coop that is enclosed on all sides and on top with 2" x 3" wire fencing. We have 6 hens and haven't had any problems for years. Recently some sort of animal has been getting in at night and killing/ eating some of our hens. What type of animal can squeeze through such a size fence? Please help!

 

[SallyF]

Sorry for your losses. What are you finding in the coop? I have found that chickens are not very bright, and if a coon reaches through the fence, the chicken will walk right up to investigate, and then the coon grabs it. Watched a coon pick off a batch of chicks through chicken wire that way once. With grown chickens, the bodies will often be next to the fence with the heads gone, although a couple of my hens looked like they managed to stagger to the other side of the coop before dying; they did have head and neck injuries.

 

[horsejody]

weasels maybe

 

[karl lutz]

Weasles or rats was the chicken gutted and the body left alone?

 

[tiffanyh]

Weasels. Definately. Had them go through my 2x2 wire.

 

[teach1rusl]

Is the fence wire 2" x 3" all the way around? Or has that been used on the top, but smaller wire around the sides???

 

[TipsyDog]

I'd agree with weasels. We've also had a couple of minks around. They'll easily go through your wire. Hardware cloth should be used in this area. Good luck - hope you catch it!

 

[Zuesdude]

If you place plywood boards two feet high around your run that may help but your also going to have to use chicken wire, that's what its for.

 

[bufforp89]

I would also agree with weasels. I live in NY and sam one once running down the side of the road after a snow storm. I also lost my whole flock of 5 chickens to one like 6 years ago. It got in and killed them all and ate what it wanted. We trapped it like a day later with the remains of one of the chickens.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It's a weasel.

Rats "could" do it, but very rarely will they kill "several" or a "few" chickens a night. Multiple killings are a weasel, or those closely related to a weasels, calling card.