# Predator unknown



## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

I had my 1 yr old slw rooster separated from the flock for aggression issues. The morning after I put him in the "nursery" he was dead. My husband found him headless there was no blood no sign of struggle not a feather out of place otherwise. I'm befuddled at what would take a head and leave the rest? The nursery is a barn room that my husband and I lined with chicken wire last year. There are ventilation openings at the top of the walls where the roof meets its about a four inch gap. But we can't figure out what could fit through there and leave no sign of being in there? I've seen **** attacks and they leave a nasty mess behind, I don't think it's ****. Any ideas? Thanks!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

My neighbor had the same thing happen. It was either a **** or possum. I found his head In my yard. I use hardware cloth with the tiny squares so predators can't reach thru.
Welcome to chickenforum! Sorry you lost your roo.


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

Thank you very much! Luckily I have a juvenile brahma roo also!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

The raccoon that killed half my original flock did this and I caught him red handed (pawed?) so I know it was definitely a ****!! Granted I have heard skunks blamed for this behavior too. Sorry you lost your roo. Predators can be so horrible sometimes.


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## SunshineAcre (Apr 14, 2016)

We have friends with a similar scenario and in their case it was indeed a raccoon. Sorry for your loss.


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

Thank you all for your replies. I've had **** issues before to the point where I had to take my 410 out to the coop with me when I closed them up for the night (free range during day) We had a 35+ lb **** in my coop he had already killed my first rooster and when I went in to find the grizzly scene this **** came after me. I had to shoot her. We found out later that she had kits in my loft.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Wow. How could you have known if this didn't happen? Can the animal people pick up the babies?


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

I'm so sorry to hear that. I would replace the chicken wire with the hardware cloth too. We lost an entire flock once to a ****, it was quite a massacre and kept us away from having chickens for quite a few years.

Welcome to the coolest coop on the 'net!


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

Seminolewind. This happened last year and we actually raised the kits and took them to an nature reserve near our farm. 

Zamora. Thank you can o find hardware cloth at any hardware store? I live in a small town so we have a tiny mom and pop hardware store. And Walmart lol


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

seminolewind said:


> Wow. How could you have known if this didn't happen? Can the animal people pick up the babies?


We raised the kits here and set them loose in a nature reserve near our farm.


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

zamora said:


> I'm so sorry to hear that. I would replace the chicken wire with the hardware cloth too. We lost an entire flock once to a ****, it was quite a massacre and kept us away from having chickens for quite a few years.
> 
> Welcome to the coolest coop on the 'net!


Thank you! Could you tell me exactly what hardware cloth looks like? We only have Walmart and a tiny hardware store here.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Hardware cloth.


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

Nm156 said:


> Hardware cloth.


Awesome! Thank you that's what I was gonna use but I've not heard it called hardware cloth before.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I get mine at Lowe's or Home Depot.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

I hate hearing about predators getting people's birds. ***** are especially nasty. I'm sorry about your rooster. Get a coyote/**** sized cage trap and shoot each one you catch or they'll keep coming back.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

Coincidentally after posting previously, I went to lock my birds in for the night and what did I see? A big boar **** sneaking through the grass. He saw me and casually climbed a plumb tree. I went and got my rifle and no matter what angle I stood, I couldn't get off a safe shot. So I waited until he finally climbed down and I shot him at the base of the tree. ***** will do this. They will hide in a tree while you inspect things and you may never know they are there. 

So if you have trees near your pen, make sure they can't climb a tree to get in your pens. If your pens aren't securely covered with durable wire fencing, cover them. ***** are professional bandits and killers. They even have masks. People often think the first thing to do before getting chickens is to build a coop. The first thing to do is securely fence an area around the location of where one will build the coop.


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## chickenlovinmama (Jun 1, 2016)

MikeA_15 said:


> Coincidentally after posting previously, I went to lock my birds in for the night and what did I see? A big boar **** sneaking through the grass. He saw me and casually climbed a plumb tree. I went and got my rifle and no matter what angle I stood, I couldn't get off a safe shot. So I waited until he finally climbed down and I shot him at the base of the tree. ***** will do this. They will hide in a tree while you inspect things and you may never know they are there.
> 
> So if you have trees near your pen, make sure they can't climb a tree to get in your pens. If your pens aren't securely covered with durable wire fencing, cover them. ***** are professional bandits and killers. They even have masks. People often think the first thing to do before getting chickens is to build a coop. The first thing to do is securely fence an area around the location of where one will build the coop.


They are clever boogers. We've also had weasels.... little egg suckers they will also wait to get at your eggs if they can!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

MikeA_15 said:


> I hate hearing about predators getting people's birds. ***** are especially nasty. I'm sorry about your rooster. Get a coyote/**** sized cage trap and shoot each one you catch or they'll keep coming back.


Kill the babies,too.The babies grow up and find their own territories and if you let them go close enough they will be back.YOU MUST KILL ANY AND ALL PREDATORS,EVEN THE BABIES!!!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I learned the hard way how smart and diligent predators are at finding a weak spot. I could have done better. I ended up getting horse fencing that's 5' by 16' and rigid for doing the roofs.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

I made a chicken door that auto locks. This is my prototype door. The actual door is really the same door with weights to keep the lock tight against the wall. It's for that raccoon that thinks he can lift a gilotine door to get in.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=mjk55_LAghs


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Mine lowered into a slot so a predator couldn't pry under it.


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## Volsspartans7572 (Apr 7, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Kill the babies,too.The babies grow up and find their own territories and if you let them go close enough they will be back.YOU MUST KILL ANY AND ALL PREDATORS,EVEN THE BABIES!!!


Your link is not working



Recoveryman said:


> I made a chicken door that auto locks. This is my prototype door. The actual door is really the same door with weights to keep the lock tight against the wall. It's for that raccoon that thinks he can lift a gilotine door to get in.
> https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=mjk55_LAghs


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