SpaceyTracy
Chirping
The other day I discovered one of my two pullets was missing. I wish I knew what I was up against! I found the place where the predator dug under the fence (see photo below) and some stray feathers along the path where it dragged its prize out. We discovered our electric fence was basically not functional because of grass overgrowth (since remedied). Any ideas about predators? I wonder about a raccoon since the pullet was in a blueberry patch within the chicken's yard that I normally keep fenced off from the chickens, but the gate was open. I closed it and found it open again the following day--something a raccoon could easily do. Could a fox be the culprit? A couple of years ago back when they free-ranged they all got attacked--one killed and taken away, the others mauled. I concluded that was a fox based on the bite patterns and also seeing a fox subsequently roaming around. A weasel? This is my worst case scenario and why I've mostly been afraid to let the remaining chickens back out into the fenced yard. They do have a completely hardware-cloth enclosed run they can be in, but it's small. I set up my game camera and have seen nothing on it--it's been several days now. Currently I let them out into the fenced yard for limited times when I'm out there as well, or when I have a radio going out there.
Note: stone was added after the fact and moved from hole to take this photo
Note: stone was added after the fact and moved from hole to take this photo
