Dead Girls

[Grumpy Old Man]

So I went out to the chicken tractor tonight and my 3 girls were dead. 2 were gone and the third was minus a head. I'm thinking coons.

[Sniper-T]

Hey Grumps, long time no see! Got a game cam? be nice to know exactly what you're dealing with. Good luck!

[bacpacker]

Coons sound right. They got several of mine. Possums as well as hawks to. But a coon attack sounds like what you described.

[Illini Warrior]

if it was canine or fox the whole bunch would be dead .....

[jamesneuen]

I dunno, I've never seen a coon kill and leave them. But then again I've never seen them take more than one.

I agree that it's not a fox or coyote. They would have killed and eaten every single one. I don't know anything about opossum though.

If its a coon, skunk or opossum you can make a ton of traps for real cheap around your property. Find some downed logs and drill a hole about an inch and a half across, drive some nails into it at an angle so they point down into the hole then shove a piece of herring or fish down there. They will grab it and not let go. They won't be able to get their hand out with it made into a fist.

Cheapest and easiest traps I have ever made. Plus if its a skunk I can just shoot it with the 22 and leave it for the coyotes without worrying about getting a $30 dollar trap and stake back from the stink.

[Vodin]

Hello Grumpy, glad to see you here! Coons would be my guess but the one that hit my pond took out everything in it. 40 6" gold fish, 6 12"+ Koi and 2 slider turtles all in one. All in one night. Granted he only ate fish heads and turtle legs.. still

[bacpacker]

Glad to see you back around Grumpy. Hope things, other than the chickens, are going your way.

[Stormfeather]

Glad to see ya back grumpy!

[eagle326]

Grumpus Maximist has always been here youngin's. You just don't have the vision yet. But it will come to you in time.
The mist is a great cover for one's unknown presence. OH it's great to be older Great Spirit. :cool:

[Grumpy Old Man]

Just cause you don't see me doesn't mean I ain't here!

[eagle326]

Just cause you don't see me doesn't mean I ain't here!

They're still youngin's Grumpus. They're still learning to decipher the shadows. ;) But this group is a smart bunch and before long they'll get the hang of it. :p
You and I know some on here who know how but we won't name any names.

[bacpacker]

Just cause you don't see me doesn't mean I ain't here!

True True. But it is good to hear from you every now and then. :)

[Kesephist]

Find some downed logs and drill a hole about an inch and a half across, drive some nails into it at an angle so they point down into the hole then shove a piece of herring or fish down there. They will grab it and not let go. They won't be able to get their hand out with it made into a fist.

Same sort of trap tends to take out fishers, martens and weasels, but for different reasons that I won't go into. When first I found why it did that, had to make a run to pray to Ralph.

I see the point in quick-kill traps. Maiming the creature and letting it suffer...no. IIRC in some states you have to run your trapline every 12 hours minimum. Not being a green weenie, just that if a pet of mine was to get nailed by a trap, I'd hope it would be killed quick-like. And I don't see how making a creature suffer is either responsible or "sporting".

The Indians had the right of it... hunt for food and pelts, waste as little as possible. And give thanks and honor when the animal is taken.

[eagle326]

Re read this post and after some thought I got only one solution for ya.

Claymore ; for the win. :cool:

[rice paddy daddy]

Yup! Sounds like a raccoon.
We keep our chickens behind several layers of 6' tall chainlink fence. There are gray foxes that live less than 50 yards from the chickens, but they don't bother the birds.
Only had one instance of a coon - darn thing climbed the 6' fence to gain access to the area, and then was frustrated by the tarp tops on the 6' dog kennels we keep the various little flocks in.
The first night, a freaked out hen somehow stuck her head thru the link. The coon ate the head, and as much of the insides as it could reach.
2nd night, I still didn't know what I was dealing with, it tried to dig under the kennels.
3rd night, the coon fell for the live trap I set, baited with chicken gizzards.
Ruger 10-22, and a trip to the dumpster at work.