Weasel Attack

[Lbubbs21]

We had a weasel attack today in broad daylight. It killed our ducks and all of our chickens but one. She wasn’t touched and is inside in a crate, but she’s definitely in shock. We’re in the process of catching the weasel to remove it before we will dare out her back out. I’m worried about how to help her in the meantime. She can’t be a full house chicken while we wait to fix the issue and get her new friends. I’d like to take her outside supervised but hate the thought of her being in the area where she watched her flock get slaughtered in front of her. I’m devastated that we lost them all, we worked really hard to predator proof the coop (which it is) but during the day they didn’t stand a chance to a weasel. Does anyone have suggestions on how to help her in the meantime? Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We had a weasel attack today in broad daylight. It killed our ducks and all of our chickens but one. She wasn’t touched and is inside in a crate, but she’s definitely in shock. We’re in the process of catching the weasel to remove it before we will dare out her back out. I’m worried about how to help her in the meantime. She can’t be a full house chicken while we wait to fix the issue and get her new friends. I’d like to take her outside supervised but hate the thought of her being in the area where she watched her flock get slaughtered in front of her. I’m devastated that we lost them all, we worked really hard to predator proof the coop (which it is) but during the day they didn’t stand a chance to a weasel. Does anyone have suggestions on how to help her in the meantime? Thank you.

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses

For the surviving hen, I'd supply her with some sugar water (1teaspoon sugar, a pinch of salt and pinch of baking soda per 1 cup of water) or electrolytes.

I'd definitely monitor her. While she may have been untouched or doesn't show any signs of wounds, sometimes a bird can flush fairly hard and panic, running into objects and be sore for a few days. Hopefully this is not the case.

Keep her in a fairly quiet area but talk to her and let her hear and see what's going on. She will benefit from being able to go outside to have fresh air and sunshine. She may try to search for her flock while she's out there, but she will adapt to being alone for the time being after a few days.

Do you have predator proof run she can go into during the day? I'm not sure how your setup is. Sometimes folks have just a coop that is secure for nighttime since their birds mostly are out and about during the day. You may be able to build a secured small run for daytime(?) and either place her in the secured coop or bring her inside at night. Everyone's situation is different.

 

[Lbubbs21]

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses

For the surviving hen, I'd supply her with some sugar water (1teaspoon sugar, a pinch of salt and pinch of baking soda per 1 cup of water) or electrolytes.

I'd definitely monitor her. While she may have been untouched or doesn't show any signs of wounds, sometimes a bird can flush fairly hard and panic, running into objects and be sore for a few days. Hopefully this is not the case.

Keep her in a fairly quiet area but talk to her and let her hear and see what's going on. She will benefit from being able to go outside to have fresh air and sunshine. She may try to search for her flock while she's out there, but she will adapt to being alone for the time being after a few days.

Do you have predator proof run she can go into during the day? I'm not sure how your setup is. Sometimes folks have just a coop that is secure for nighttime since their birds mostly are out and about during the day. You may be able to build a secured small run for daytime(?) and either place her in the secured coop or bring her inside at night. Everyone's situation is different.

Thank you for your suggestions. She was running mad when we ran out and saw what had happened so that’s very likely.

We do have runs around the coop that is also covered on the top. It’s 3 10x10 dog runs with slanted roof lined by chicken wire which is why we just couldn’t believe this happened during the day, but apparently weasels will find their way into anything once they find something they want. That’s what worries me to let her out, even supervised is if we haven’t caught it yet (in a couple days of course). I’m hoping we catch it in the coming days for that peace of mind but worry it won’t come back with no one there and then get hit again as well.

 

[lagrange chicks]

My thought is 1/2" hardware cloth instead of chicken wire or plus hardware cloth. If a weasel can get it's head through a hole the body will get through, smaller weasels will get right through chicken wire. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Lbubbs21]

My thought is 1/2" hardware cloth instead of chicken wire or plus hardware cloth. If a weasel can get it's head through a hole the body will get through, smaller weasels will get right through chicken wire. Sorry for your loss.

Oh gosh, sorry it is hardwire cloth, however the dog fence it can easily just go through the fencing. It also was going under the ground. At night they’re protected inside their coop, but it came during the day which I never would have expected.

 

[lagrange chicks]

Oh gosh, sorry it is hardwire cloth, however the dog fence it can easily just go through the fencing. It also was going under the ground. At night they’re protected inside their coop, but it came during the day which I never would have expected.

I know those little buggers come during the day. My chicks were only in there coop/ run for a couple weeks, I look out the window at them and there is 2 weasels fight/playing next to the run. Gone before I could shoot them. Haven't seen them since.

 

[Lbubbs21]

I know those little buggers come during the day. My chicks were only in there coop/ run for a couple weeks, I look out the window at them and there is 2 weasels fight/playing next to the run. Gone before I could shoot them. Haven't seen them since.

I had no idea and I thought I had gotten rid of it when it couldn’t get in the coop at night and seemed to move on months ago. Hopefully we’ll catch it soon. Glad yours haven’t come back.

 

[McChooky]

No "if's" or "maybe's"rat wire is the industry standard.You need 1/2 inch galvanized steel hw cloth over all openings and vents to keep everything out including snakes and mice.You also need an apron around the bottom to keep it from digging under the sides

 

[AGeese]

So they were killed in the run like sitting ducks? You should probably start free ranging unless you secure that like McCook said.

Also get a rooster, at least they should die trying to save the flock.

Lastly dogs. If you confine your birds then you should have no problems keeping some Jack Russells to patrol for rodents.

 

[Lbubbs21]

So they were killed in the run like sitting ducks? You should probably start free ranging unless you secure that like McCook said.

Also get a rooster, at least they should die trying to save the flock.

Lastly dogs. If you confine your birds then you should have no problems keeping some Jack Russells to patrol for rodents.

So they were killed in the run like sitting ducks? You should probably start free ranging unless you secure that like McCook said.

Also get a rooster, at least they should die trying to save the flock.

Lastly dogs. If you confine your birds then you should have no problems keeping some Jack Russells to patrol for rodents.

We have the pens for them because of the many predators we have here. They wouldn’t stand a chance without it. I let them free range when I can be out with them, but we can’t have roosters where we live. Our ducks always alert the girls and one of them fought off a raccoon at our old house. I don’t think any of them stood a chance against a weasel from the many people I’ve spoken too who’ve also lost flock to one. We also have two dogs, one a Great Pyrenees. Im certain this wasn’t its first visit so dogs aren’t keeping it away. We also have a neighborhood cat that comes every night.

We already purchased the hw mesh to reinforce the coop but are working on trapping at the same time as it must go. I don’t trust that it won’t try to get back in even with improvements. Thanks.