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Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6285987
07/24/18 12:40 PM
07/24/18 12:40 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,671
Champaign County, Ohio.
K
KeithC Offline
trapper
KeithC  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,671
Champaign County, Ohio.
With that much loss, it's probably multiple predators and possibly multiple species of predators. When predators hear the chicken distress call, they come running hoping for an easy meal. All the predators in your area may be joining in the feast.

Keith

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286181
07/24/18 05:46 PM
07/24/18 05:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,049
St. Louis Co, Mo
B
BigBob Offline
trapper
BigBob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,049
St. Louis Co, Mo
"Weasel in the Henhouse!"


Every kid needs a Dog and a Curmudgeon.

Remember Bowe Bergdahl, the traitor.

Beware! Jill Pudlewski, Ron Oates and Keven Begesse are liars and thiefs!
Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286398
07/24/18 09:41 PM
07/24/18 09:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 162
Oh
F
Fur trapping Offline OP
trapper
Fur trapping  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 162
Oh
Well I set a conibear in the entrance to the coop with a wire cage behind it, so no chickens could get out. No catch and no chicken lost. Found no track in the mud.

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286408
07/24/18 09:47 PM
07/24/18 09:47 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
R
RightWayFur Offline
trapper
RightWayFur  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
Had a coon over the weekend get 30 out of 33....3/4 grown bantams...everyone heads off....5 or 6 head gone and crops eat out...

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: RightWayFur] #6286412
07/24/18 09:49 PM
07/24/18 09:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,650
Southeast Ohio
amspoker Offline
trapper
amspoker  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,650
Southeast Ohio
Originally Posted By: RightWayFur
Had a coon over the weekend get 30 out of 33....3/4 grown bantams...everyone heads off....5 or 6 head gone and crops eat out...


How did you know it was a coon?


Levi
Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286414
07/24/18 09:50 PM
07/24/18 09:50 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
R
RightWayFur Offline
trapper
RightWayFur  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
Game cam...he fell to bacon grease and feathers next night

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: RightWayFur] #6286421
07/24/18 09:57 PM
07/24/18 09:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,650
Southeast Ohio
amspoker Offline
trapper
amspoker  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,650
Southeast Ohio
Originally Posted By: RightWayFur
Game cam...he fell to bacon grease and feathers next night


I've never had a racoon kill more than one or two. But based on the responses in this thread, it must happen.


Levi
Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286447
07/24/18 10:29 PM
07/24/18 10:29 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
R
RightWayFur Offline
trapper
RightWayFur  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 281
Sharp Co. AR
Mine started in the roost...and finished the rest out in the run...almost like it was a sport...

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Jonnytrapper] #6286451
07/24/18 10:33 PM
07/24/18 10:33 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,384
Central Ohio
LT GREY Offline
trapper
LT GREY  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,384
Central Ohio
Originally Posted By: Jonnytrapper
Mink will kill every chicken they can get their hands on. Fox usually kill what they can carry off.


Never forget that a Norway rat can and will kill with the same M.O. as a mink or weasel and they can kill the largest of breeds !

Many will try to trap a mink, which is actually a rat

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: joepennanti] #6286514
07/25/18 02:21 AM
07/25/18 02:21 AM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 552
New York
Camohoyt340 Offline
trapper
Camohoyt340  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 552
New York
Originally Posted By: joepennanti
Originally Posted By: Camohoyt340
... had 3 [chickens] killed in one night. ... We were thinking it was a weasel or mink because there were only small holes to get in the coop and the heads of the chickens were all eaten. None of the bodies were eaten. ... next night there were 13 more dead chickens. ... coon was going from the roof of the shed down to the coop ... I thought for sure that it was a smaller animal. I was wrong.


And those last 13, only the heads gone?

Originally Posted By: Fur trapping
Lost a turkey two nights ago, was found with a missing head and the breast were gone. Woke up this morning to find 30+ chinckens dead ...I believe it's a fox and probably her pups. ... Any suggestions it has to stop tonight. Thanks


Dead turkey probably rules out weasel. Coon or larger, fox, coyote.



Yes. Only the heads were gone from all of them.

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286663
07/25/18 09:48 AM
07/25/18 09:48 AM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,131
Kentucky
K
Kyt Offline
trapper
Kyt  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,131
Kentucky
To get whatever it is with non target animals around you have to exclude the non targets first. You can make multiple narrow chutes with boards or fencing so only the offenders can get in and set those heavy with traps. I agree with Lt.Grey . My first suspect when chickens are killed in a chicken house is definitely rats--but they don't usually roam around outside and kill them there, so they're not likely the culprit this time. But as I found out--don't underestimate a rat. And don't think rats are all easy to catch.

I had one of 5 chickens killed inside the chicken house with its head missing. The only access was one 10 x 12 inch entrance door at ground level. In front of the door was 8 inches of fresh snow. There were no tracks in the snow, only light scrapes on the surface. The killer turned out to be an owl. Also doesn't seem likely that an owl would be your culprit with that amount of carnage, but they definitely eat the heads off chickens.
If you have to, move the chickens temporarily, get them in a SECURE structure with limited access and festoon those access routes with traps.

Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: joepennanti] #6286820
07/25/18 03:04 PM
07/25/18 03:04 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,904
Central MN, sort of old
MnMan Offline
trapper
MnMan  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,904
Central MN, sort of old
Originally Posted By: joepennanti
We see a few threads like this every year. The finer details vary, like the specific type of livestock &/or type of predator, but 1 detail that remains a near constant is that in almost all cases it's the heads that are eaten. It could be just as easy for the feet to be eaten, or a wing or a leg. With a little more effort it could be the entrails, liver, heart, etc. But whether the culprit is a weasel or a fox or a coon it's nearly always the heads that are eaten. And it'd probably hold true if the livestock were mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.

There's a take-away point here that can be used when winter rolls around and it's time for us to choose trapping bait.


I knew an old trapper here that used to only use chicken heads on his mink sets.


I'm just happy to be here! Today I'm as young as I'll ever be and and older than I've ever been before!
Re: Suggestions on killing my chicken killer [Re: Fur trapping] #6286888
07/25/18 05:40 PM
07/25/18 05:40 PM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,155
Ky
J
jbyrd63 Offline
trapper
jbyrd63  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,155
Ky
What ain't you got one of them there AR rifles. Heck way guys talk on here it will defend everything you got against everything there is......

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