# Massacre in my chicken/turkey pens!!!!



## Dodge 'Em (Jan 13, 2011)

Ok, last week I had one free range Blue Millie Fleur Bantam hen that was setting on a clutch of eggs. Hen and all eggs dissapeared....no shells or feathers anywhere.
I had a free range Blue Wyandotte hen that literally had hunks torn out of her....she is still living.
Last night, a Fawn Silver Duckwing bantam hen (in a pen, only opening is a 3 inch wide hole in the top of pen) was eaten, and 5 of her chicks were killed, not eaten.
Tonight, I let out my Jackshund (JRT/Dachshund) and noticed one of my Blue slate turkey poults under my truck. Went to the pen....One poult eaten, one partially eaten (it died while I was standing there) one poult minus feathers. I cant find the one that escaped. Again, only opening is at the roof where the chicken wire didnt meet, about a 2 inch gap.
I hope whatever it is likes tuna catfood, because I set a trap. I dont like to kill anything, but I am pretty ticked off about my 2 little turkeys, they were soooo friendly! When I would go in the pen they would fly up on my shoulders. I dont know if its a **** or possum. I dont think a weasle could have caused so much damage to the Wyandotte hen, or carried off the BLR Wyandotte hen, I never found any of her feathers either. :hair: :veryangry: :hair:


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

I dont know what could cause such damage but I hop u figure it it out soon. Good luck and sorry abput your losses


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## Gumtree (Aug 15, 2009)

I don't know what pests you have around you...but to me it sounds like it could easily be, a fox.... good luck with your trapping efforts


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## freckles (Jun 17, 2011)

I had the same problem had a 2 inch gap at top and something got in and ate my chickens heads off. We put some wire there and have not had a problem since.


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

Coyote?? Seems like those evil things are eating everything! 

Im so sorry


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

One of our turkeys died yesterday a cat got it....of course it was the female!! WE only had two sooo now we are on the hunt for a gf for our tom


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## Dodge 'Em (Jan 13, 2011)

Well, trap was tripped last night, 1/2 can of catfood eaten, nothing in the trap!!! So Im thinking it must be big enough that its rear was hanging out the back of the trap and when it tripped, it was large enough that it backed out. I will try again tonight. I have had weasles eat the heads off and leave bodies, but these are eating most of the chickens/turkeys. Only things left are wings and legs.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Whew, that must be very frustrating! I hope you can catch it - or at least stop it!


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

I'm very sorry Kathy! I went through this years ago with 4-H chickens. The only hole that was big enough for anything to get through was at the top of the cage where tin met wood....I still don't get it. BUT what it turned out to be was a skunk! He killed some, tore the heads off of some, but didn't EAT any! My mom sat in the barn all night waiting for him to come out after a bag of dead chickens. The thing walked RIGHT UNDER her chair. Then she killed it with a shot gun. The only surviving hen was Red, and she was scarred for life.


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## Calico Patch Farm (Mar 8, 2011)

A couple of years ago, we bought about 40 chicks. All we doing well until one morning we came down to the barn and found only 2 alive. The other 38 had either had their necks ripped open and we laying around the pen or they had been dragged off. The only way in we a 2 inch gap in the chicken coop wall. When we told other people about it, they suggested a weasel. About 3 weeks later, one of our cats brought a weasel (dead) to the house. We don't know for sure if that was it, but the killing stopped.

I'm sorry about your loss and hope you catch whatever did that.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

:hug: Darn on all the losses. I caught a weasel here a few weeks ago. They can get into any little tiny hole. Raccoon are one that will often eat all the heads off but can reach into the tiny hole and pull out the prey. Not sure what you are working with there but hopefully you catch it tonight!


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## Dodge 'Em (Jan 13, 2011)

Caught my tom poult this afternoon. Trap set again...with a hair trigger tonight! See if I have results in the morning....or later on tonight!


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## freckles (Jun 17, 2011)

Good luck


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I sure hope you catch whatever is doing this. I am really sorry for your losses. Whenever we have losses we can usually plan to catch either a 'possum or a skunk. We had a duck setting 24 eggs one year and one morning, just before they were due to hatch; they disappeared without a trace.
We do not like killing but we have grown some tough skin. Even when the 'possum we trapped had a pouch full of babies. :sigh:


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## Dodge 'Em (Jan 13, 2011)

Trap was tripped, flipped on its side, more catfood eatten!


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

:scratch: :shocked: 
Well then.......


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

It sounds like you are using a havaheart (or something like it) trap? What size are you using? It sounds as though your predator is too big for the size trap you are using. I've heard that some hardware stores have havaheart traps that you can rent - maybe you could rent or borrow a larger one? My brother-in-law kept losing chickens, and come to find out, it was an owl going right into the chicken house! 
I'm sorry to hear of your loses - I know it must be really disheartening (not to mention frustrating). I hope you catch this rotten critter! Good luck!

~Robin


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Either one smart predator or it is too big for your trap. They make a coyote size trap that I find is the best size for super smart huge raccoons.


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