who killed them

[quails-101]

Its most definitly a raccoon thats how they kill. Possums eat the whole thing and rats would eat the smallest pieces of the chick you would also smell a skunk or smell the same smell if it was a fox but there would be no remains if the killer was a fox. Thats how raccoons kill they grab the head pull the bird through the fence and drag it not that far away and eat it thats how you know it was a raccoon. Also another thing weasels kill for fun or sport they don't eat a single part of the bird weasels don't like all the feathers and they can't pluck them out like a raccoon can so all in all a weasel is just like a dog they will kill all your birds for the fun of it and there is now stopping them all you can do is block up the holes and hope they don't come back witch they will most likely.

 

[pammy63]

I am finding a dead chicken every other day the head is tore off, no other evidence than today we found another we found a blood trail than blood spray in several areas then the headless body. We later found the head approximately 20 feet away in the fall grass. This keeps happening during the day, our birds are free range. But all but one were found in the barn in the middle of the room and they were our biggest birds. I am so confused please help

 

[CluckerCottage]

I am finding a dead chicken every other day the head is tore off, no other evidence than today we found another we found a blood trail than blood spray in several areas then the headless body. We later found the head approximately 20 feet away in the fall grass. This keeps happening during the day, our birds are free range. But all but one were found in the barn in the middle of the room and they were our biggest birds. I am so confused please help

Mercy, if I were experiencing a loss every other day, I believe I'd build a very sturdy predator-proof run rather than allowing the free-ranging to continue. Get your birds to safety, secure your barn so the predators cannot get in, set up a camera and identify your killer(s).
Get your shotgun ready and wait.
Very sorry for your losses.

 

[drumstick diva]

Totally agree with Clucker Cottage - I would keep the chickens in a safe run. Free ranging is NOT benefitting them. Definitely use smaller mesh wherever you have wire. NOT flimsy chicken wire - get 1/2" Hardware cloth and securely affix to run framing not with little plastic zip ties.

Put a cover on your run - use electric fencing around the perimeter.

 

[whirlwind2357]

I still say weasel, in my experience they will bite off the heads, tear up the body, and occasionally take a young bird with them. Raccoons will take the body and leave a pile of feathers, but no remains.

 

[drumstick diva]

Totally agree with Clucker Cottage - I would keep the chickens in a safe run. Free ranging is NOT benefitting them. Definitely use smaller mesh wherever you have wire. NOT flimsy chicken wire - get 1/2" Hardware cloth and securely affix to run framing not with little plastic zip ties.

Put a cover on your run - use electric fencing around the perimeter.

 

[quails-101]

It's most definitly a raccoon that's how they kill they grab the birds by the heads and rip them through the cage or any way they get a hold of them they then drag the bird not far from the cage and eat a very little bit of the bird. Weasels kill for fun or sport they will not eat a single part of the bird and they will leave it were they killed it. So weasels are just like dogs they will kill all your birds and not care at all. Rats and opossums will eat the smallest parts of the bird because they don't have a long snout they can't really bite into things easily and they are scavengers rats don't usually kill things unless they are dying of hunger and same with opossums. You would also smell a skunk or fox because they both smell like each other and look for digging. And there is no way of really telling if it was a owl but owls will try killing chickens. So it was a raccoon by the conditions the chickens were left in.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Here's a post from My Coop Project thread. It may be of some help.

Protecting the Flock

I know that I have posted about using cage traps to catch predators, but for the life of me...I cannot find it. So here it is again.

I live in town. This is what I use to catch any culprits that might want to make a meal out of my chickens. The trap opening is 13 inches X 13 inches, and 36 inches in length. Once the predator steps on the treadle, the door closes and your predator problems are solved. Any one that keeps chickens should have at least a pair of these for quick use when predators stalk our birds. These traps are solid, well built and will last you for many years.

Stay away from the Havahart brand traps, unless you're after squirrels, Havaharts are cheaply made and use sheet metal, the springs that lock the trap are weak. I've had animals push out of a Havahart Trap. If a predator forces out of a Havahart trap once, the trap is ruined.

For most predators bait it with a tin of soft cat food food and set it each night. One time I had a squirrel problem, so I baited it with a mix of peanuts and corn, caught a lot of birds, but after a few days no squirrels. You will probably not want to leave it set during the day, all you'll catch is a bunch of chickens; trust me.

You'll need to stake it so it cannot be turned over, if the trap rolls over the washers will slide and the trap door will open. If the predator escapes, they just got a free education as to what to avoid in the future.

It works great for squirrels, weasels, mink, feral cats, small dogs, dumb foxes with a lower I.Q., and raccoons; basically most of the animals that want to make a meal out of our birds.

For cautious predators like foxes, the trap has to be perfectly bedded, no wobble at all or a fox will not enter the trap. The trap needs to be well weathered, just leave them outside and nature will do a great job. When handling the trap, always wear gloves, try not to touch the trap with bare hands.

Cautious predators are very challenging to stop from killing chickens.

Most foxes that become chicken killers are the young of the year that are just learning to hunt and provide for themselves. Chickens are an easy prey item for young foxes...

Here Is my recipe:
1 tin of sardines
2 cups of vegetable oil

Mix the sardines and vegetable oil in a blender until puraid completely. Then in a 5 gallon bucket mix the slurry thoroughly with about 10 pounds of dry dog food.

This makes a very good bait for most any predator that feeds on chickens.

If you are having trouble catching the predator that is being overly cautious, and there are no malfunctions of the trap itself, wire the trap open so that it cannot trigger and let the target animal hit the trap each night for about a week. Check the trap each day to ensure that the predator is visiting the cage trap, re-bait as needed.

After week, remove the wire and ensure that the trap is properly set. If the predator is hitting the trap regularly, you should have your chicken killer the next morning.

This approach works great for even those very cautious predators like foxes.

 

[Dan M]

I lost two more one chick inside the coop and one adolescent inside the fence. the problem I have is the others peck the remains so much I cant tell anything from the body. For some reason I am still highly suspicious of one old hen that's broody and I have seen her brutally attacking some of the chicks so bad I had to kick her to get her to stop. I think I cam eliminate raccoon fox opossum skunk, no way into enclosure and remains left intact until the other chickens get them. I don't think hawk, two were inside the coop, carcasses were left . I guess a weasel could get in through the fence, ive never seen one around here though. if not im thinking an inside job. I have a small trap I may try, what would work for weasel bait ? I have a feeling all I will catch is skunks.

 

[Intheswamp]

Could you answer a few questions to help us figure out how to help you stop the carnage?

Are you locking the coop up at night?
Can we see a picture of your setup?
When you say "no way into enclosure" are you speaking of the coop or run or both?
When you find the dead chickens are the other chickens gathered around them eating/pecking on them?
How do you know the remains are "left intact until the other chickens get them"?
Can we see a picture of your setup? (I thought I'd repeat this one as it will help a lot! )

Thanks,
Ed

I lost two more one chick inside the coop and one adolescent inside the fence. the problem I have is the others peck the remains so much I cant tell anything from the body. For some reason I am still highly suspicious of one old hen that's broody and I have seen her brutally attacking some of the chicks so bad I had to kick her to get her to stop. I think I cam eliminate raccoon fox opossum skunk, no way into enclosure and remains left intact until the other chickens get them. I don't think hawk, two were inside the coop, carcasses were left . I guess a weasel could get in through the fence, ive never seen one around here though. if not im thinking an inside job. I have a small trap I may try, what would work for weasel bait ? I have a feeling all I will catch is skunks.