Chickenpocalypse

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davek

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Well this must be a bad side of town for chickens. Yesterday I lost a hen. Her body was still in the coop but head was missing. Today lost another and it was the same scenario...head gone, cavity opened up but very selective in eating. I am thinking its a hawk.

Raccoons do this.
When a hawk or eagle takes a chicken all you find is a circle of feathers from the initial impact. everything else is gone.
 

dennishoddy

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Coons and possums are easy to catch with cat food in a live-catch trap, FWIW, and a single .22 between the eyes will terminate the coon threat.

Just be warned: coons are about 90% blood by body weight. Well, maybe not that much, but they bleed profusely, so don't shoot them on anything you don't want blood stained, and wash the trap afterward (blood is highly corrosive to iron/steel).

Coon cuffs work as good if not better, are cheaper, and you won’t trap the neighbors dog or cat while the coon sneaks in and does his “bidness”.
 

SoonerP226

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Coon cuffs work as good if not better, are cheaper, and you won’t trap the neighbors dog or cat while the coon sneaks in and does his “bidness”.
Dunno where I could get coon cuffs, but Atwood's and Tractor Supply have live catch traps.

Can't say I'm worried about the neighbors' varmints, and if they do get caught, they're easy enough to release.

I did have a problem with the cat that came with my folks' farm. I set out a trap for a skunk in the hay barn, but all I caught was that dumbass. Twice. On consecutive nights. He was a good cat, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
 

dennishoddy

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Dunno where I could get coon cuffs, but Atwood's and Tractor Supply have live catch traps.

Can't say I'm worried about the neighbors' varmints, and if they do get caught, they're easy enough to release.

I did have a problem with the cat that came with my folks' farm. I set out a trap for a skunk in the hay barn, but all I caught was that dumbass. Twice. On consecutive nights. He was a good cat, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Any online trapper supply house has them. I've seen them at atwoods before.
I bought mine for $12 each if I remember right a couple of years ago and have seen them recently for about the same.
I only brought it up as coons usually come in multiple numbers. You trap one, and the rest of the family go about their business of killing chickens. Half a dozen coon cuffs can decimate the population pretty quick.
I bait with marshmallows on my trap line.
If they are raiding my deer feeders, I'll bait with a big marshmallow below the trigger and corn on top as that is what they are coming for. The marshmallow is just about impossible to get out without them triggering the trap. Good luck in whatever path you choose! :D
 

SoonerP226

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I'll have to keep that in mind if I start having coon problems again. With no outdoor cats, there's no cat food to draw them to the porch (the dog gets fed in her crate in the living room).
 

SoonerP226

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There is one problem with live catch traps. My dad had been leaving the door to his shop up enough for the cats to get inside at night. Unfortunately, a black and white "kitty" decided to take advantage of that, so we set a trap. Today I opened up the walk door and shone my flashlight inside, and the trap had done its work, so tomorrow I have to deal with it...
 

Pearl Cruz

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I got so many critters on my little hill I don’t even try anymore. Not sure where they come from but it’s like Noah’s Arc. I got a couple of every rodent/critter/varmint there is. I even forgot some Chipmunks.
 

RickN

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Years ago I had something killing my chickens and just eating the necks. I ran a bare wire around the bottom of the flap door, over to a pig tail light socket with a 150watt flood light bulb in it and then plugged into an electrical outlet. Once the chickens were in for the night I would prop the door up just a little and wet the ground under it. Heard a blood curdling cat screech and found toasted kitty the next morning. Turned out to be a feral cat doing the killing. When the juice hit him he twisted and tried to get away but got himself jammed in, no more cat.
 

swampratt

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That is what ate the head off 2 of my chickens a persons cat.
Feral I doubt it.. dead I guarantee it.
If I had a cat or dog that got out and went into another yard and got killed I have no sympathy for that animal.
If one of my dogs was to bite someone that dog dies right there unless he had a reason for doing it.

My chicken coop has buried 2x6 boards treated with used engine oil and the chicken wire stapled to it .
The boards are above the ground about 2".
It has a top on it made from corrugated plastic(PVC) panels as those do not get hot and do not emit heat from the sun like metal roofs do.
Yea a hail storm will destroy them. no biggie I have chickens.
Now I will not let them out unless I am out with them.
The coop is 12x8 and about 7 foot tall. I only have 6 hens.
All laying though.
Only thing that can get into it would have to be able to go through chicken wire.
Or dig under smelly oil soaked wood. They will not chew on it.
 

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