OT chickens

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INCase

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

A friend of ours has about 2000 or so range chickens. They are in an electric-mesh pen in a field. He's finding about 1 a day with the head missing. No other blood/damage no signs of a breach in the fence. He's also had this problem on occasion with ones he's kept in the barn. Again no signs of another animal breaking in ect. Any thoughts? I know its not a tractor item but it is farm related and there are good odds that someone here would know. thanks.

 

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tlak

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

It's a weasel or the type

 

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Nancy Howell

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

I don"t know from personal experience, but I"ve been told skunks do that sort of thing.

 

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IaGary

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

yep weasel or mink.

Gary

 

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Allan in NE

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Doggone it,

I don't think so. A weasel will kill 50 just for the sport of it.

Never heard of 'em killin' just one and walkin' away.

Allan

 

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RodinNS

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Yep... Any experiences we've had with a weasel (and there's been a few), he cleaned the place out. Killed every damn last one. ONE is never enough for a weasel...
I have no idea what's killing these, but it ain't a weasel.

Rod

 

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Mattlt

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Mink. BTDT.

Play a radio tuned to a talk-type station near the pen.

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Ferret[weasel] . you are lucky there's only one.
took my hen and 7 chickens, all like that.Some idiot left it when didn't come out of the rabbit burrow.

 

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Steve in IN

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Is there a top on the enclosure? I've watched a hawk take the head off a pigeon as I walked to my car after work. The body just fell right out of the tree as the hawk flew off with his prize.

We have a little hawk that is pretty much hanging out in one of our maple trees. It screeches a lot and is driving my wife nuts. I, on the other hand, enjoy seeing it and hearing it as it flies about.

 

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ohfred

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Once upon a time I was fishing over at Rocky Fork Lake near here in the bass boat. As I was nearing the east shore I noticed a bunch of Mallard ducks there and all of a sudden a hawk came swooping down and nailed one of them. I was being quiet, by myself, observing all this. The next thing the hawk did was to tear the head off of the duck. He couldn't flie with it so I assume he either ate it or left it there. Don't know if it's the same as your situation or not....but they do tear the head off. ohfred

 

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Rootsy

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Had an owl do the same thing to one of my chickens. Beheaded and left... Generally the coons and skunks steal my eggs. Did have one chicken up and disappear last winter though. The coop door got left open over night and the next morning she was gone. I just recently found her remains in the hay mow as I was moving bales. No idea what did that one in. Something that could fly or climb while hanging onto a 10 lb hen.

IF it is a crawling critter.. set a live trap with some wet kitty food and see what you get...

 

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fregienewbee

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

I'll go with the "it's not a weasel" crowd. Had a weasel get in a pen with Hungarin partridge and killed 45 of 'em--not one survivor. I'd vote for a hawk or owl. I've even had a hawk kill a pigeon through 1" hexagonal chicken wire. Never did figure that out, unless the dumb pigeon was just too close to screening and just stood there. Sky rats about says it all--for the pigeons I mean. I like to see the hawks soaring over the power line towers.

Larry in Michigan

 

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ddl

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

its an owl!

 

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Floyd352

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

it is a bird of prey, a coon will carry off the bird [seen them do it] weasels got in my house and went cage to cage killing my pet birds. So one a day its a bird of prey.

 

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sd pete

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

I put my .02 of a shrinking buck on a Raptor.

 

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tlak

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Had a complete enclosure, with top, so skunk, owl, hawk and quite a few others are eliminated, because whatever, never seen it, had to scale chicken wire or strait metal siding to crawl through a little hole.

 

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Bob seND

Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Mink. I had one that would crawl up the corner of the chicken house, crawl in a small hole and chew the head off a hen sitting in a nest. Did it several times in 2 wks before I caught the bugger with a leg trap. Out of season and worth nothing of course! Nailed a license plate over the hole. Never happened again.
Bob seND

 

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NEKS

Well-known Member

• Jun 20, 2008

• #1

Years ago had some white ducks and every morning would find a duck with its neck through the fence and head missing. Never did find out what was doing it. Hard on the duck inventory.

 

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Elmers Grassman

Member

• Jun 21, 2008

• #1

I keep layers on pasture, have had same deal. It's an owl. Weasel got after broilers always two or three at least. I would get a couple of guard geese.