We lost 2 chickens last night

[holm25]

Well this morning when we went to do chores we found 2 dead CornishX cross 1st had it's head ripped of and the 2nd had been bit in the neck. The 1st with the missing head was in the middle of the pen and the 2nd was right next to the other it was like what killed them put them in a pile!! Any help would be great!!

 

[geowoman]

I've been reading up on predators and I saw that weasels put them in a pile.

 

[holm25]

I've been reading up on predators and I saw that weasels put them in a pile.

Well that could be what it is but I am going with raccoon because a week ago we had a raccoon kill a bird to but who knows!!

 

[bobbi-j]

Sounds like a weasel to me.

 

[iwiw60]

Sorry, I disagree....it was more likely a raccoon. They are noted for ripping heads off. The more important question is how secure your setup is. Can you post pics of your coop/run areas so we can better see what the problem could be? Do you see where/how it got in? Any tracks?

 

[bobbi-j]

I was thinking about the one bitten on the neck. Pretty classic weasel, but it doesn't really matter. If the run is uncovered a raccoon could easily have gotten in there and done it. I forget that not everyone has a covered run and made assumptions. No matter what got those birds, the coop/run obviously needs to be tightened up somewhere.

 

[holm25]

Sorry, I disagree....it was more likely a raccoon. They are noted for ripping heads off. The more important question is how secure your setup is. Can you post pics of your coop/run areas so we can better see what the problem could be? Do you see where/how it got in? Any tracks?

We had them in our duck pen it is not great but we have kept birds in there for months with no problem. I don't see were it got in and no tracks.

 

[holm25]

I was thinking about the one bitten on the neck. Pretty classic weasel, but it doesn't really matter. If the run is uncovered a raccoon could easily have gotten in there and done it. I forget that not everyone has a covered run and made assumptions. No matter what got those birds, the coop/run obviously needs to be tightened up somewhere.

It is a classic weasel kill but only time will tell tonight we are setting a live trap fingers crossed!!!

 

[bobbi-j]

Weasels (at least the ones around here) are small and don't need much space to get into a pen. Also wouldn't leave much for tracks.

 

[holm25]

Weasels (at least the ones around here) are small and don't need much space to get into a pen. Also wouldn't leave much for tracks.

True.