CrackPot
NES Member
Lost 3 more on Saturday morning. Went to let the dog out the front door at 7:30 and found a dead one on the doorstep. Searched around and found another, headless and gutted at the back of our yard by the tree-line. A third has not returned home with no evidence of her demise. All three were different breeds so based on where all the feathers are I can somewhat estimate what happened.
It looks like whatever got them got into the coop. We have an automatic door that opens on a light sensor. Opened at 7am. Feathers from the one at the front door are all over the coop. The one in the back yard by the tree-line looks like she bought it out front by the other and was carried off and dropped out back. I have thoroughly searched for the third one and cant find a single feather.
So, thoughts on what this was? One neighbor has seen a coyote recently, another neighbor's kid says he saw a fox that morning. The remaining four hens are locked up for now but can still exit to a penned area when the door opens at 7. I've been sitting watch with a 10/22 from a second story window with a good view of the coop the past few mornings but haven't seen anything yet. The door to the coop is small, chicken sized so I am thinking maybe fox. There has also been a fischer cat around too but I have not heard him in a while. Thoughts and advice?
Put a game camera up targeted at the door. Find out exactly which predator it is you are dealing with. This will guide next steps.
I have kept a camera up at the door to my coop for over three years now. Every time I have a problem, I can find the culprit and deal with it appropriately. Raccoons and Skunks are the most frequent visitors but we have also had members of the canine and feline families.