Author Topic: Chuck been gotten (Read 2377 times)

kelly58 · « **on:** June 29, 2014, 09:47:18 am »

When l let the girls out this morning l spotted a hole chewed in the chicken wire size of a dinner plate.
Went in chuck shed and found pile of feathers trailing to the pop hole. No sign of chuck, any ideas what would do this ?
It will be back for sure $:-\$

Porterlauren · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2014, 10:39:46 am »

Size of a dinner plate?

If it's regular Chicken wire, probably fox or maybe badger.

Nothing else would need a hole that big.

midtown · « **Reply #2 on:** June 29, 2014, 11:19:43 am »

Any sign of animal hair around the damaged areas of wire? Just one hen gone or several?

A few years ago in an area I used to deer manage, there were reports of lambs being taken and chicken coops raided. Any chicken netting had some pretty serious damage done to it - far more than would be expected from a badger or fox, and there was talk of a 'big cat' being the culprit!

Turned out to be a Border Collie cross gone 'wild'.

chrismahon · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2014, 11:34:50 am »

I know dogs can tear through chicken wire. Perhaps a fox can if desperate. My guess would be a badger though. Any footprints?

Porterlauren · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2014, 12:50:35 pm »

A fox can 100% tear through standard chicken wire, because it can get its teeth into the mesh and yank.

kelly58 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2014, 01:18:43 pm »

Its stripped feathers off 2 and taken them one was my beautiful little silkie boy , killed my little pencil laced wyandotte that was sitting

and left her, with head on.
Run has docks and grass so cant see any tracks. I will get up first light and see if anything appears.
With a large piece of 3x2 to give it a headache !

Mel Rice · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2014, 03:09:11 pm »

I would suggest pine marten or Marder as they are known here.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2014, 03:10:07 pm »

Look around the edge of the field/run for dips where a fox or badger could get through. If it's got a line of barbed wire running along the bottom of the sheep wire you'll see small tufts of black & white hair caught on the barbs if it's a badger. Foxes generally have plenty of rabbits and pheasants to catch at this time of year so more likely to be a badger - move slower and jump not at all. Fox muck looks like dog muck except it has a pointed end. Badger muck is usually very sloppy.