WHAT pulls a chicken out through the coop fence ?

[riverrockfamilyfarm]

I think you have a raccoon. Sometimes more than one raccoon will come and if you don't have any solid corners for the chickens to huddle in, the raccoons can reach through the wire and reach the chickens. When chickens are afraid they will huddle in a corner, so always make sure your corner are solid.

Hope this helps
Suzie

 

[FLchook]

I'd go with coon or opposum.. They can reach in small holes, and they are patient. Unfortunately I learned this the hard way. Some coons do hunt during the day, usually its the young ones. Sorry for your loss

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
Yeah, my poultry judge friend told me that racccons can just pull chicken wire apart.

We have a combination of rabbit fencing along the bottom of the coop, as an extra protective layer down low, and chicken wire fencing - over the garden fencing (the one I just bought yesterday - I had 82 feet of fencing to put up). The predator only attacked through the fencing that wasn't double layered.

Maybe I should contact that bobcat trapper soon than later (Mon.). Our 4H leader is one of my FB friends. I think I'll go and FB her now about contact info for that trapper. It's still a few days away until Sat. when we can work on the coop. I don't like leaving one side "unprotected" but then again, I don't want to fence another 26 feet for only 2 more days. I'd rather save that fencing to put on the outside of the other finished side.

Once the chickens go to bed, they are safe in their house.

So, they are usually at risk sometime when they are out. Will try and go outside more during the next few days to give them more grass or treats and patrol the yard.

Whatever it takes to protect the chickens.

(chicken wire was cheaper than rabbit fencing so I figured some kind of layer might help deter the predator) I still have another 26' to tack up on Sat. evening.

Thanks for your comment though. We'll have to see how it does over here. (which works better - the rabbit fencing or the chicken wire fencing over the garden fencing)

 

[colebarnhart]

2"x4" gaps in the fence isn't small, I could probably squeeze my hand thru that and grab a chicken, so I wouldn't rule out the bobcat. I haven't had any problems since I put up hardware cloth. I've heard that some predators will tear chicken wire, but I think it depends on how hungry it is.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Now I use welded wire on the outside of the 2x4 and chicken wire on the inside, so there is a three inch gap between layers, making it harder for predators to reach in.

 

[klutzyruth]

If you've seen a bobcat, chances are, it's the bobcat. They will reach through the fence. I found that out this morning.

Bobcats will also hunt during the day.
We have chain link and a double strand of electric wire and that didn't stop the bobcat. There are marks were she ripped at the fence, the fence post and the bottom board that runs along the pen.
The tracks are clear, so I know who did it. I just came here to get some more ideas to stop it.
We're getting a trap also.

 

[Murrmade]

I have seen hawks do this to my own chickens and I have heard of eagles and large hawks pulling turkey through large fencing.

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

Quote:
X2 I know someone who has had raccoons pull his birds through the wire late afternoon/early evening.

 

[mystang89]

Ok, someone PLEASE explain this to me. I believe you all when you say it happens and I've read many places saying it happens but I just can't get it through my head HOW it happens. How does something reach through a fence and pull a chicken through especially during the day. The chicken has to see the predator. Does the chicken want to shake its hand? I can't even hardly get my chickens to eat out of my hand much less shake the darn thing. You'd think the chicken would see them and say to themselves, "Hey self, that there (INSERT NAME) looks mighty hungry, I think Imma go make myself scarce."

As sarcastic as it sounds its an honest question.
P.S Sorry for your losses, hope you find whatever is doing this.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
I'm almost ashamed to post again about this.

But we lost one more today. This time through the top side of the coop. And now the fence is saggy.

You can read more about it in my blog post for today.

I guess maybe our chickens are too tame ? I know the Ameraucana cockerels have recently decided that they like to perch and hang out on the top of the roof, that is just under the ceiling fence coop. There is no support really (except however tight we stretched the fence). I saw some white feather at the top, no bent fence, just somewhat saggy.

If they can just survive one more night/early morning they will move out to their new home.

I have 2 phone numbers to call. One is for some critter control. The other is for the bobcat trapper. I think I'll contact them both to see what they can do for me.

I did see some critter last night scurrying off.

We get up at 8 am to do morning farm chores. My husband says the chickens are out of their houses at 5:30 am.

I don't know....the predator went hungry today. The dead chicken body was inside the fence, near the waterer. And since I did tack up all 84 ft. of chicken wire fence, I think it couldn't reach through to get it's kill. My kids said it had missing neck feather and either a broken neck or missing neck bone. He already buried it before I examined it (not that I really wanted to).

Can a bobcat really lay down on the fence and get it ?

The chickens are pretty alert. They make that screeching cry when they see bird fly overhead. They also make other noises when my little cat walks the top of their pens.

Believe me, something is really getting them through the fence. At least now, it's going hungry. Hopefully that doesn't mean it's going to come back and try again.

It's obviously easier for this predator to go through the 2" x 4" welded wire fence (yeah, we reach through also to open the latches of the inside doors). But now all the bottom perimeters are covered with another layer of fencing, at least 2' or 3' tall. There's only the one pen that has the house with the roof just under the ceiling fence coop roof. That's only for one more day. Then the chickens are going to move and that house tore down. (My husband doesn't like my handiwork).

I agree, you would think the chickens would know better to stay away from a predator trying to get them !!

I'm not a chicken so I can't explain it. It's not like they are sleeping up there. Every bird goes to be inside their houses.

But just to be sure I'll have my son go out there again after dark with the flashlight to check again for tonight.

Thanks,