Lost 3 chickens last night

[Xoetix]

And a 4th will probably not make it. I'm so pissed.

I reinforced the absolute frick out of that run and something chewed straight through it. Dragged three girls out of the coop while they were sleeping and mangled one other.

How do you keep out predators?!

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

I'm so sorry! Heartbreaking! I'm not sure you keep them out.

 

[AussieBird]

I am so sorry The foxes are back at my place, and I lost Samuel a few days ago (not to the foxes, it's complicated...).
What's your set-up like? I can try helping you with suggestions.
Is the 4th injured? EDIT: I clearly didn't read the last sentence I am sorry

 

[April]

Oh that's so heartbreaking I'm so sorry for your losses

 

[Xoetix]

I am so sorry The foxes are back at my place, and I lost Samuel a few days ago (not to the foxes, it's complicated...).
What's your set-up like? I can try helping you with suggestions.
Is the 4th injured? EDIT: I clearly didn't read the last sentence I am sorry

We ended up having to euthanize the 4th one, she was pretty torn up

We have hardcloth buried about 6 inches down, and then it comes up about 18 inches around the chicken wire fencing.

Whatever got them went through the hard cloth at the bottom of the fence - didn't dig under, the hole went through it. And it wasn't a large hole, so I don't think it was a racoon. I'd guess fox. Three of the chickens were completely gone too - no bodies, just feathers left. And no blood anywhere either, except for the 4th one we had to put down.

 

[owlsthetic]

Oh no! I'm so sorry that this happened

 

[Pixiebeak]

I'm very sorry, very traumatic and terrible.

At my jobs to keep fox our of exotics , chain link down a couple of feet into ground then out buried about 4 feet. Like an L continuous piec if fence

 

[Icey]

So sorry to hear that.

 

[AussieBird]

We ended up having to euthanize the 4th one, she was pretty torn up

We have hardcloth buried about 6 inches down, and then it comes up about 18 inches around the chicken wire fencing.

Whatever got them went through the hard cloth at the bottom of the fence - didn't dig under, the hole went through it. And it wasn't a large hole, so I don't think it was a racoon. I'd guess fox. Three of the chickens were completely gone too - no bodies, just feathers left. And no blood anywhere either, except for the 4th one we had to put down.

I am so sorry you had to euthanize her
Hard cloth is always what I see people suggesting, so I am not sure where you can go from there.
I've never had a fox go through the wire, do you have stray dogs around?

 

[iamwhoiam]

That's terrible. Very sorry for your losses.

 

[Xoetix]

I am so sorry you had to euthanize her
Hard cloth is always what I see people suggesting, so I am not sure where you can go from there.
I've never had a fox go through the wire, do you have stray dogs around?

Not that I've seen - I have 3 dogs, and they're small yappers. If another dog were to come around they'd definitely let me know.

Whatever it was, it happened between midnight (the last time I took my dogs to pee) and 6am when I took them out again, and it went into the coop itself to drag them out, they were all asleep when I took the dogs out.

 

[Shezbug]

So sorry for your losses

Your coop boundaries need to be stronger than the predators you’re trying to keep out, chicken coops are often mainly built with keeping chooks inside rather than keeping pests outside- bottom sides are best to be solid if possible and dug a few feet into the ground with an L shape for the bottom in the ground to make it harder for digging critters.

If hard cloth happens to be the same as chicken wire then there’s not much that will keep out unfortunately.

Got any pics of where the intruder got in?

 

[AussieBird]

If hard cloth happens to be the same as chicken wire then there’s not much that will keep out unfortunately.

Hard cloth (or hardware cloth) is like mesh. Small aviary mesh? Rodent mesh? I am not 100% what you could compare it to here. I've always seen it recommended instead of chicken wire.

Xoetix, what the gauge etc of the stuff you used? Was it welded?

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

I'm so sorry the last one had to be euthanized

Do you have weasels or fishers near you? I know fishers can be relentless. I had a friend who had a fisher go down her chimney (the bottom was boarded up but top wasn't capped) and lost 3 large parrots. The smaller the wired mesh the better I think. Some smaller weasels type animals can get through the smallest gaps

 

[Shannan]

sounds like a raccoon to me. Electricity on the outside can help. If you could show pictures we can make some suggestions. Our coop is solid wood for the main part of the coop where they sleep (except for the windows which are double wired. Unfortunately with chickens they are on everyones menu so you will constantly be adjusting and adding security until you are secure. So raccoon 4. human 0. Reset and try again. Whatever it is it will likely come again tonight or tomorrow so be prepared. Also, know that chickens are pretty hardy birds so sometimes when they look really messed up they can survive. I had one rooster that survived a possum, an owl, a neighborhood dog, a fox, a tornado and a "we don't know", so 6 different attacks. I had another survive a fox who damaged him so bad he lost sight in both eyes. When we found him he was bleeding and his poor head swelled to almost twice the size. He was the best rooster (took him to the Pre K classes every year.).

 

[GreenThing]

I'm so sorry! What an awful thing to walk out to. I can't offer any helpful advice, but I've been researching chickens for a while (I'd love to keep Seramas one day), and I've wondered how anyone manages to keep them safe in a place like my home state or other places with both wild wildlife and canny, container-opening urban wildlife to contend with.

 

[Spearmint]

So sorry for your loss

 

[Xoetix]

Got any pics of where the intruder got in?

No, we spent all day cleaning up the feathers and trying to fix it. We did a temporary fix of huge cinderblocks all around the run and coop, and today I'm headed to the farm store.

what the gauge etc of the stuff you used? Was it welded?

It was 19 gage, not welded I guess? Because I have no idea what you mean by welded so I assume not lol.

Do you have weasels or fishers near you?

We've definitely got weasels, but with so little blood/gore, I hadn't thought they might be the culprit. The whole bodies of three were removed, the last time we dealt with a weasel it was.... Gruesome

 

[AussieBird]

It was 19 gage, not welded I guess? Because I have no idea what you mean by welded so I assume not lol

Welded vs woven. I'd think you'd have welded? I am now curious as to what the mesh on my pens is cause I seriously cannot imagine a fox breaking through it.
I hope you're able to figure out a solution soon, how are the rest of them doing?

 

[Xoetix]

Welded vs woven. I'd think you'd have welded? I am now curious as to what the mesh on my pens is cause I seriously cannot imagine a fox breaking through it.
I hope you're able to figure out a solution soon, how are the rest of them doing?

The last three are skittish (more so than usual), I imagine they're a bit shaken up. They're eating and drinking though, and I went out and bought them a watermelon because I feel bad

Everyone got through last night, thankfully. I swear if having chickens doesn't work out again this time, I'm just going to wait until we buy a place with some land. Or pester my mom into it.