What would have done this?

[chiknewbie]

This evening I went out to check my (basque pullet) hens water and found that all 10 of them were gone from the coop. They were fine this morning when I checked on them. Something had snuck under our fence and managed to move two large logs that I was using to prop the door flap on the coop closed. Whatever it was then managed to drag all 10 hens out of the coop. All of this happened in the middle of the day, and my yellow lab was outside.

I'm not sure what predator would have done this. Any suggestions?

I've told my hubby that until we get this figured out, we will not be getting any more layers or our meat chickens for the year.

 

[BrendaJ]

So sorry for your loss. There are several predators that could do this. How big is the hole & what kinds are in your area? How does your dog usually react to predators?

 

[chiknewbie]

The hole in the fence was quite small (I have a chihuahua/mini dachsund mix and he wouldn't fit in the hole). Our lab generally barks if anything comes into the yard, I wasn't home for part of the day so I don't know if she did bark this time but I assume she did.

I live in southeastern Manitoba. I'm not sure of all of the different types of predators that would be here, but some of them include raccoons, skunks, feral cats, weasels and fishers.

So frustrating as this is the second time we've lost all of our laying hens in one shot. Last summer something got all 6 of our laying hens and our rooster in one night (they refused to go inside at night, instead they roosted in the trees). Normally our lab would protect them, but we had sent her to a friends house as we were leaving on vacation the next morning. Whatever got them that time dragged them under the coop and through a hole in the fence.

 

[BrendaJ]

You should set a trap & try & catch the little thief. you can also set up a game camera too. Just a thought. Its hard to say what exactly got them because it could have been a few of them you listed. Did you find any of them & if so - not to sound gruesome but was it feathers or body?

 

[chiknewbie]

I have a live trap, but I'm a reformed city girl and have no idea how to set the trap or what I would do with whatever it is when I do trap it.
I didn't find any of my chickens, there was no blood just a few feathers in the coop and a little trail of feathers to the hole in the fence. Because of the lack of feathers I actually had hope that only one or two of them was actually missing and the rest of them just "flew the coop" and I'd find them some where in our chicken run (repurposed dog run).

 

[BrendaJ]

There are videos on youtube.com that show you how to set the traps if you want to learn how. There are a couple different styles of traps. Hope you guys are able to catch whatever this is ( fox, raccoon or ??? ). So sad to lose your whole flock. My chicken run is also made of dog kennel panels. I reinforced it with chicken wire. Good luck.