Hello All
I had something get in my bantam coop last night and it killed one of my showgirls. I have had chickens at this house for about 17 years off and on and have not lost a chicken before last night. I live in the middle of the city and have no big critters out there, I do have Skunks, Coon and opossums come by every now and then but have never had them do anything to the chicken before. The hen was in a small rabbit hutch with a little door on it so just the bantams use it to roost the bigger hens have a shed to roost in. The other bantams got me up at 5:30 just screaming their little heads off and when I went out they were all over the chciken yard up high. I told them all was cool and to come down, But no go so I went to the coop to see how they got their door open and thats when I found the showgirl, The door was has just a simple latch and it just up and open. She was still in the coop and one side of her is gone and the insides have been eatten. I found no tracks and the chicken yard is one big cage and I see no were that the killer got in. The chickens are down eatting right now but still very jumpy. Would a coon stay in the coop and eat or would they carry the bird off? Would a trap work on a coon? I'm going to put all the chickens in the big coop tonight and set a trap in the other. I feel so bad for my little hen and the other girls that are still scared. Thanks for any help you can give. Dennis
PS: I just went out to the coop to clean up and all the serama eggs from the coop are gone and there are no shells to be found.
I had something get in my bantam coop last night and it killed one of my showgirls. I have had chickens at this house for about 17 years off and on and have not lost a chicken before last night. I live in the middle of the city and have no big critters out there, I do have Skunks, Coon and opossums come by every now and then but have never had them do anything to the chicken before. The hen was in a small rabbit hutch with a little door on it so just the bantams use it to roost the bigger hens have a shed to roost in. The other bantams got me up at 5:30 just screaming their little heads off and when I went out they were all over the chciken yard up high. I told them all was cool and to come down, But no go so I went to the coop to see how they got their door open and thats when I found the showgirl, The door was has just a simple latch and it just up and open. She was still in the coop and one side of her is gone and the insides have been eatten. I found no tracks and the chicken yard is one big cage and I see no were that the killer got in. The chickens are down eatting right now but still very jumpy. Would a coon stay in the coop and eat or would they carry the bird off? Would a trap work on a coon? I'm going to put all the chickens in the big coop tonight and set a trap in the other. I feel so bad for my little hen and the other girls that are still scared. Thanks for any help you can give. Dennis
PS: I just went out to the coop to clean up and all the serama eggs from the coop are gone and there are no shells to be found.
