Help me!! I went from 23 outside birds to only 3!!!

[lissasmomma1]

**I know this is long. Thank you if you read it all!!**


I live in the city in the city. Milton, Florida to be exact. For 3 years we've had 5 coops that had no predators and
starting two weeks ago I had five coop annihilation. It started with my two RIR hens. Gone. Then in my middle coop my biggest Ayam Cemani Roo Grim Reaper was fatally injured, and my ragamuffin and Houdini hens were gone. Then my Nikki the very next day. Then the following day in my last coop his Grim Reaper, my Prince Branch Gristle was headless and dead, along with their Sisters my Jade Onyx and Princess Sugar. Leaving my Peppercorn Chip and Chicken Dumpling. The following day Peppercorn Chip was gone. Then that night I heard my Chicken Dumpling screaming. I ran out there and found her on the ground breathing heavy. I grabbed her up and brought her inside. She had blood on several places on her head. And she was weak. Two days in my 3rd coop my precious Chicken Tender Nike was beheaded, and my sweet Waddles Waffle Bar my cochin hen was taken out of her Hook locked brooder box
opened it, she ran and was beheaded!! Two nights later my Welsummer Bridget Marie was beheaded, then the following night my blue laced Wyandotte Poppy Rose was beheaded, then the following night my sweet girl, my white leghorn hen Ursula Seashell was murdered in the first coop along with Poppy and Bridget. Then 2 nights later, MY BEAUTIFUL Showgirl Roo Lil Man was GONE COMPLETELY!! WE put the last three outside birds in a huge parrot cage and whatever it is, ripped my Icicle Frost my light Sussex head was gone and NECK!!! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS KILLING MY FLOCK!!! I Went from 23 birds outside(because I have 2 inside bantam and 1 micro bantam bird inside) down to 3 outside bird(although one is now inside due to her injury) But I need help, we just got a game camera to see what the heck decimated my flock so freaking quick. I'm devastated because my birds are my emotional support chickens. But all that's left are my 3 Ayam Cemani birds. The first hatched on property, and the last hatched on property. The three outside birds we have left are my hens Chicken Dumpling, Chicken Alfredo and my roo Ezekiel Malachi. I just need to know, what's killing them?!? I'm so depressed. And I'm still a fairly new Chicken momma, only 5 years.. so I'm not use to this ever happening. Please anyone tell me what is ripping off my birds heads. I can't take it anymore!! In the photos are all my babies that are all gone.
Grim Reaper my Ayam Cemanis
His brother Prince Branch Gristle and their Sisters Jade Onyx, Princess Sugar Cube, Peppercorn Cube, their niece, Chicken Tender Nike who survived impaling her crop at only a month and a half old. then my Ameracuna hens, Houdini, Ragamuffin, Nikki 6, my Showgirl roo Lil Man, then my best friends My Welsummer Bridget Marie and her best friend Poppy Rose my blue laced Wyandotte, then my coop sisters my White Leghorn Ursula Seashell and Icicle Frost my light Sussex. My two RIR hens Cherry Garcia and Banana Pudding, The only living birds I have now are my Micro Bantam my Frizzle Serama General Pinecone, my bantam Cochin hens my molted Cochin Sweet Potato Pie, and my black bantam cochin Pumpkin Pie, my outside chicken who got injured My first hatched On property Chicken Dumpling, and her blood cousin Chicken Alfredo who was the last hatched on property. And my roo Ezekiel Malachi. There photos aren't included.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Fist of all, I am SO sorry.
I know minks are notorious for just ripping the head off. They can also squeeze through really tiny spaces.
It would be helpful if you included pictures of your coops/coop setup!

 

[LaurenRitz]

Since some of these birds were in locked cages and got out, I would guess you have a family of raccoons. They can undo hook closures easily. Any coop closures should require multiple actions to undo (such as twist and pull). A raccoon will eat the heads and often leave the rest. The timing of all the attacks so close together suggests more than 1.

Also, a raccoon will reach through anything large enough, grab what it can reach and try to pull the bird out.

A weasel or mink would probably kill all birds in the coop..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

my cochin hen was taken out of her Hook locked brooder box

Sorry for your loss.

The only predator I know of that opens latches are humans and raccoons. Racoon also rip heads off.. usually reaching through or into something. In addition they often have the reputation to not visit every night but every couple to few.

Raccoon is your suspect, best I can tell. 1/2 inch hardware cloth on all openings.. installed properly, not using just staples.

 

[The Coop Crew]

Since some of these birds were in locked cages and got out, I would guess you have a family of raccoons. They can undo hook closures easily. Any coop closures should require multiple actions to undo (such as twist and pull). A raccoon will eat the heads and often leave the rest. The timing of all the attacks so close together suggests more than 1.

Also, a raccoon will reach through anything large enough, grab what it can reach and try to pull the bird out.

A weasel or mink would probably kill all birds in the coop..

Raccoon was my second guess.

 

[TheRealRyanGosling]

First I want to console you in this big loss of your emotional support flock. The worst I've experienced was hot air balloons landing un invited into my field while my graylag goose was foraging right under the balloon. They scared her away and never saw her again. It devastated me as she was my bird dog emotional support therapy pet. My heart breaks for your loss.

I'd also be suspicious of mink as mentioned by the coop crew. They're barbaric and can dismember and waste what they dispatch. I've heard of raccoons beheading and foxes as well. Foxes generally leave a big feathered mess while hawks or apex birds will pull heads through fences and take the head as though it disappeared in thin air. You won't find remnants like mammals you'd have a pure mystery of where the heads are.
Do any of these predators exist in your demographic?
I'm so sorry. I'd double my chicken wire or other wall structure materials so their heads can poke only to the top of the beak. If a head can get yoinked through a slat it's a possibility something stalked and took what they could.

We have a golden eagle, turkey vultures, coyotes, coons and rats in my area. For the golden eagle I go out into our corall and fields when she or he comes stalking and make my presence known flapping my arms and staying in between my ducks if theyre swimming and our neighbors run that connects to our back upper field. It tends to help get it away even if for an hour they don't circle low with large dogs or humans making irregular appearances. I keep hoping my neighbors will roof their run but they haven't still so I at times act looney and big winged by their run if I see that bird stalking.
I'm no expert. Just the daughter in law of a 4th generation farmer being taught over the past 7 years his families understandings and concerns for our area at a slow totem achievement pace. It could be totally different for your area the predators and ways of husbandry care.
My heart goes out to you.
If it's mink they can get through a one inch by one inch hole or opening. I'd encourage scouting your coop. If you find any holes or lifts by soil under the run definitely invest in landscaping netting that is mole and vole strong and redo the area place that netting up the wall of your run where it's compromised and place a square cut of small squared chicken wire to reinforce the other side keeping the netting sandwiched between two layers of chicken wire. You can aesthetically dress it up by making a wooden wall from ground to 8 inches or more high depending on how big your reinforcement sandwich is. Lol if that makes sense.
For coyotes we've used sensor lights and they book it. Our trail cams helped us discover the coyote pack and the fattest raccoon I've ever seen. For raccoon remember they have dexterous hands and have been told stories that they can handle latches and knows how to by pure curiosity. Locks and taughtly seccured heavily reinforced chicken wire and locked doors or brood boxes high at chest height can help.

Hoping that you heal and can resolve such a unexpected and disheartening situation. Sounds like it may be a newer predator to your territory. You had such great success for so long.

Sending strength and a keen eye to discover the culprit. Trail cams help greatly and are becoming more cost effective.

We protect our area from coyotes with sawing every tree that falls over our creek and clearing their paths slightly wider to create a less elusive hideout as they march in and leave our scent on the trails.

 

[Rose_adamaj]

I am so sorry for your loss!
I put out live traps at the first sign of a predator. Depending on what we catch it is either relocated miles & miles away or it is humanely dispatched.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I'm sorry, that is devastating...very likely raccoons.

 

[PoppasGrill]

Sorry for the loss of your friends.
I’m near Lacrosse, Fl. And have had coyotes and bobcat, Opossums along with Owls and hawks. We got a couple donkeys 2 years ago and have had only minimal losses to predators since. We lost 2 turkeys to the bobcat before the donks caught up to it, we found its carcass laying in the field behind the barn.
I would say you have raccoons, as it’s the only thing that would open a latch, that I am aware of.

 

[McChooky]

S

**I know this is long. Thank you if you read it all!!**


I live in the city in the city. Milton, Florida to be exact. For 3 years we've had 5 coops that had no predators and
starting two weeks ago I had five coop annihilation. It started with my two RIR hens. Gone. Then in my middle coop my biggest Ayam Cemani Roo Grim Reaper was fatally injured, and my ragamuffin and Houdini hens were gone. Then my Nikki the very next day. Then the following day in my last coop his Grim Reaper, my Prince Branch Gristle was headless and dead, along with their Sisters my Jade Onyx and Princess Sugar. Leaving my Peppercorn Chip and Chicken Dumpling. The following day Peppercorn Chip was gone. Then that night I heard my Chicken Dumpling screaming. I ran out there and found her on the ground breathing heavy. I grabbed her up and brought her inside. She had blood on several places on her head. And she was weak. Two days in my 3rd coop my precious Chicken Tender Nike was beheaded, and my sweet Waddles Waffle Bar my cochin hen was taken out of her Hook locked brooder box
opened it, she ran and was beheaded!! Two nights later my Welsummer Bridget Marie was beheaded, then the following night my blue laced Wyandotte Poppy Rose was beheaded, then the following night my sweet girl, my white leghorn hen Ursula Seashell was murdered in the first coop along with Poppy and Bridget. Then 2 nights later, MY BEAUTIFUL Showgirl Roo Lil Man was GONE COMPLETELY!! WE put the last three outside birds in a huge parrot cage and whatever it is, ripped my Icicle Frost my light Sussex head was gone and NECK!!! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS KILLING MY FLOCK!!! I Went from 23 birds outside(because I have 2 inside bantam and 1 micro bantam bird inside) down to 3 outside bird(although one is now inside due to her injury) But I need help, we just got a game camera to see what the heck decimated my flock so freaking quick. I'm devastated because my birds are my emotional support chickens. But all that's left are my 3 Ayam Cemani birds. The first hatched on property, and the last hatched on property. The three outside birds we have left are my hens Chicken Dumpling, Chicken Alfredo and my roo Ezekiel Malachi. I just need to know, what's killing them?!? I'm so depressed. And I'm still a fairly new Chicken momma, only 5 years.. so I'm not use to this ever happening. Please anyone tell me what is ripping off my birds heads. I can't take it anymore!! In the photos are all my babies that are all gone.
Grim Reaper my Ayam Cemanis
His brother Prince Branch Gristle and their Sisters Jade Onyx, Princess Sugar Cube, Peppercorn Cube, their niece, Chicken Tender Nike who survived impaling her crop at only a month and a half old. then my Ameracuna hens, Houdini, Ragamuffin, Nikki 6, my Showgirl roo Lil Man, then my best friends My Welsummer Bridget Marie and her best friend Poppy Rose my blue laced Wyandotte, then my coop sisters my White Leghorn Ursula Seashell and Icicle Frost my light Sussex. My two RIR hens Cherry Garcia and Banana Pudding, The only living birds I have now are my Micro Bantam my Frizzle Serama General Pinecone, my bantam Cochin hens my molted Cochin Sweet Potato Pie, and my black bantam cochin Pumpkin Pie, my outside chicken who got injured My first hatched On property Chicken Dumpling, and her blood cousin Chicken Alfredo who was the last hatched on property. And my roo Ezekiel Malachi. There photos aren't included.

Cover all vents and openings with 1/2' galvanized hardware cloth if you haven't already done so and replace simple coop latches with hasp locks & carabiners to keep out minks and raccoons! I'm sorry for your loss and know you must be heartbroken!Theres a light at the end of this tunnel!Fortunately they didn't kill them all!