[lord flynn]

I feed the chickens using a pheasant spring feeder. A couple of times last year, and more often this year, something comes along in the night, pulls the spring and lets loose kilos of feed. I no longer keep it very full, which is a pain-but less expensive. What could it be though? no tracks, no scat-something big enough to pull down on the spring but thats not interested in the henhouses? I have tried surrounding it with some weld mesh but it pulled the whole thing over 


I was thinking badger, but not interested in the actual chickens? We had fox tracks about in the snow. I did have something dig into the broody run and go for the feed overnight as well. I am not that bothered-just intrigued!Its not every night.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

It could be a squirrel, they have blummin clever creatures.

[lord flynn]

no squirrels in my garden-I'm in the middle of a moor! I do have a treeline, nut no squirrels.

[adamhfc]

Deer but then is the feed being eaten and then no tracks

[lord flynn]

I had thought of deer-we've had some in the fields next door recently. Feed is sometimes eaten, sometimes lots is left on the ground.

[Steph Hen]

Badger is my guess. It's a very stealthy deer to leave no tracks!
Wildlife camera! I love mine - about a hundred pounds, but you won't regret it! Mines an acorn something another, but it's camouflage coloured and has a really short trigger time. 

[Beeducked]

Would put money on badger! They are big and strong and love layers pellets!


We have one who sneaks up at night and takes any left over feed - seen it, theres no doubt. Never shows any interest in the ducks themselves but we did lose a couple of ducklings earlier in the year in a stable that we hadn't fully secured so more our own fault. May have been a fox. We now take in any left over feed to avoid encouraging them.

[bloomer]

Geographically I would bet on deer, having been to your place it's an easy place for them to access...

[devonlady]

Any wild/feral pigs around?

[Jukes Mum]

Can you borrow a trail cam off anyone?
I had a mystery too the night before last. Something ripped the lid off my nest box (the actual wood was split). All the chickens were present and correct!?!

[Marches Farmer]

I's suspect badger if ripping's involved. Have you seen those claws?  It'll be back.  A neighbour had a badger rip the side off a really sturdy coop her husband had made - lost 23 hens.

[devonlady]

If you have chicken taking badgers then only a metal lined coop will deter them.

[Jukes Mum]

We thought badger, but there are no scratches on the hut or lid at all!
Strongly suspecting aliens 

[Steph Hen]

Badger there too.
How about a line of electric fence screwing onto the coop?  I bought a little energiser that works off two D cell batteries. They last for months. It's Called a shrike, was about £50. It gives quite a kick in a short fence and D cell batteries aren't so intimidating as charging car batteries.

[Jukes Mum]

Thanks Steph Hen- I'll pop one in my Christmas list!