What was it!!!

[SharonX]

Oh Chickecartsen,

I am so sorry for your loss. That is horrible. I usually lose one at a time and it is heart breaking. My heart goes out to you.

 

[LynneP]

Might be fox- they're notorious for digging up carcasses and they will bury and 'age' them too.

 

[horsejody]

Before we put in a cement floor skunks were always tunneling into the barn. They are great at digging. They too will kill a chicken. If you catch them in the trap, you might consider dispatching them as well. I'm sorry you have a long list of suspects but can't be sure who dunnit. I hope you catch the culprit.
Good luck.

 

[cmom]

We put up an electric fence today.

 

[cmom]

Last night I almost forgot to turn on the electric fence for my girls. While I was out I found 4 birds outside if their fenced in areas. I out them back into their coop and turned on the fence, walked around to see if any other had gotten out but didn't see any more birds and went back into the house . It was about 10 pm. Well, this morning I woke up and went out to do my chicken chores and found a big pile of feathers behind their coop on the outside of the fences which tell me that I missed someone last night. I followed a trail of feathers but didn't find the body. Today I put a camera up and am recording. If the predator comes back tonight it will be on camera...

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Quote:
I would think the skunk is the culprit, they are diggers more so than the possums who like trees.
Skunks are bad news, #1 carrier animal for rabies in the country.
Trouble is, get rid of one and its bros/sis move right in . . .

Id "get rid of" every skunk you see.
Im not one for killing animals needlessly, but skunks are 1 animal I do not like/will not feel guilty about.
Whether it is in the coops or not, kill them.

Right now, all the baby skunks are leavin mama and finding homes of their own . . . you dont want them thinking they have found home at your place . . .

Best thing to do is bait a trap with tuna or catfood, and put it near but not over the hole the animal is digging.

If you do in fact have to shoot a trapped skunk, make sure you have cover and are far enough away to not get sprayed as it dies.
Dealing with a trapped skunk is not fun.

Edit- didnt know most of this thread was 2 years old . . .

 

[cmom]

I have alrerady killed around a dozen skunks. I found out a while back that someone was trapping them and then releasing them in our area.