Unknown Predator.

[jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

I am posting on behalf of a friend of mine today. She had 15 chickens.

Yes, she “had“ them. According to her, Something has been coming and killing one chicken every night. The run is closed, and she says there’s no way a predator could get in the coop. However, something is happening that’s killing one chicken every night. She requested my help.

Being a hunter, I have some experience with animals, I have two trail cameras I use, and I’m going to set them up today and see if I can catch the culprit.

Based on what I’ve said, any idea what the predator could be? If you need more details, I can get them. She is down to 5 chickens now.

Thanks,

Jared

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Did she find the bodies, or just missing? Any feathers or body parts left behind? What did the murder scene look like?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I recommend she bring the remaining 5 indoors at night until the perpetrator has been brought to justice.

 

[azygous]

It's an important detail whether the chickens are killed and left behind or disappearing. Those dead bodies left behind can offer clues by the mode of killing, for example, heads ripped off, bodies mangled but intact, etc.

If the coop is seemingly secure, then the predator is small and perhaps entering through uncovered vents. One time here on BYC, there was a similar post, swearing the coop was secure. No way anything could get in, but chickens were disappearing. A game camera was installed and it was found that a raccoon was gaining entry through a convoluted crack in the wall that abutted an adjacent building.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

The windows in my coop are covered in hardware cloth, screwed (with washers) into the frames around the windows, on the inside. One day I noticed a corner of one screen was barely, just barely, pushed out. Almost unnoticeable. Until I touched it and pulled gently, and the whole framework on that side of the window had been detached. A herd of racoons could have gotten through that hole if they wanted to.

 

[jnicholes]

I’ll get those details and get them to you. It’ll take a while, I am getting ready to drive.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

We need pictures of the coop and run as well

 

[jnicholes]

We need pictures of the coop and run as well

Understood. On my way there now.

 

[jnicholes]

According to the family, they are being found dead inside the coop. Something has been eating them. That’s what they said. Going over to investigate.

 

[ashcons]

she says there’s no way a predator could get in the coop.

According to the family, they are being found dead inside the coop. Something has been eating them. That’s what they said.

Evidence to the contrary is staring back at her. MO of the killer from the state of the bodies will help once you find out.

Regularly revisiting the coop nightly, killing in the coop one at a time? I'd lean towards raccoon or possum depending on the state of the body, though raccoons tend to be greedier with their kills.