Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[veggiemad]

Hello everyone.

Sorry this is such a morbid post.

Last week I found a hen dead in the WIR after what looked like an attack of some sort. The hen was otherwise healthy and although an ex batt was still laying (i think) , She had what loked to be a fight with something in the eglu cube -lots of feathers and then found on floor of WIR in the morning .

 

I gave the whole cube and WIR a good clean and could find no evidence of anything -rats/mice or otherwise . I have nocticed one of the remaining hens stepping ontop of and pinning down the other girls and peck at their heads and necks ? trying to breed. This all seems to settle down though -I just thought perhaps abit of vicious bullying.

 

Today -another hen dead, in the cube- head pulled off . Again- i dont know by what .

 

Do head bully so badly til death?? Could a rat or otherwise be doing this.

 

I am VERY concerned. I now have two hens left and am loathe to get more if the head hen is doing this, also how do i tell if i have a rodent problem?? Surely rodent would go for the food not the hen??

 

PLEASE HELP- i'm in a right state- I love my girls- except the bully!!!

 

Thanks in advance

[Olly]

Sorry to hear this, what a distressing experience.

 

Hens can indeed peck each other so badly that they inflict fatal injury, but what you describe sounds more like a predator attack. Could it be mink? They can get through very small spaces, and other people have reported attacks on here like that.

[Patricia W]

Sounds like a mink or similar. Can you block off all the small holes? They can get in through quite small spaces.

[Egluntyne]

I agree. Sounds like mink or similar. You could try stuffing all possible entrances with wire wool. Apparently they hate it.

 

Might be worth trying to catch the perp in a live catch trap (so that you can release anything that isn't the target) but you would have to cull whatever it is if it isn't a native species. (Ie mink aren't, but stoats are).

[veggiemad]

Thanks everyone- keep it coming!!

 

I have decided to move cube into WIR- currently on outside, with ladder goind down into WIR. I have sent Father in law to get mesh for ladder hole and wire wool.

 

I bought the WIR from a company who use welded mesh its approx 1"x1", would a mink get in here??? I know nothing about them .

 

x

[Redwing]

I was going to say that I've seen your WIR and its virtually bombproof! I forgot that the cube is on the outside

 

Moving the cube inside is a good idea and 1 x 1 mesh should keep out all but baby rats and mice I believe

 

Rats will tackle chooks but the fact that the head on one was pulled clean off would indicate something stronger - rats do go for the head but tend to nibble

 

Hens will go for the head of another and sometimes peck it relentlessly but again not pull the head off

 

Look for tunnels around the run too just in case

 

x

[Tweety]

I agree, it sounds like a mink/stoat/weasel or rat. Were you girls shut in the cube when they were attacked? I had a similar problem last year, at about the same time as a rat problem, and lost 7 girls.

Following forum advice, I made sure the girls were locked up at night, pushed wire wool or scrunched up chicken wire into drainage and ventilation holes,plugged every little gap I could find in the WIR and called in pest control.

Touch wood, I have had no more trouble.

I'm very sorry to hear about your dead girls, and hope that beefing up your security will solve the problem. Like you, I wondered if one of my other hens was the culprit at first, as it was definitely not a fox that had got in the run, but I am fairly sure now with the benefit of hindsight that it must have been rats.

[coco]

A friend of mine had similar attacks on her hens a few weeks ago, she lost three and found them all beheaded. Her husband concreted the bottom of the run for her They think it was probably a mink or weasel. After several weeks setting a trap and catching nothing her huband found the mink/weasels hole and poured petrol down it and set light to it. Drastic action but they haven't had any problems since.

[sandyhas3chucks]

really sorry for your loses ... good luck with sorting it x

[Angie]

A chickie friend a few streets away had a bad experience two weeks ago, her OH sat up all night waiting near the run having set a live trap and caught a weasel , ( it was getting into her run under the small gap under her door only a couple of inches ) The creature was dealt with and the door now has an extra piece of wood on it to fill the gap .It makes you wonder where all this wild life is coming from as we are inner town dwellers but we have foxes too.

[veggiemad]

Thanks everyone .

 

I have moved cube into WIR now. and lock the door at night. Having read about mink on internet am getting more convinced that this is my problem - in which case, it may be the end of my chicken keeping days.

 

I have pest control ringing me back on monday. .

 

I hadnt thought of weasels - will look that up too - thanks

 

Does anyone know if a mink/weasel can get through th vent holes in the cube (if indeed it can get into the WIR first) . THere is the odd small gap around the bottom of the WIR where it sits on the slabs ,I dont want to fill all the gaps in the cube as this is the point of the vents isnt it?? also are they nocturnal- the girls havent been out to FR since this happened

 

Also - am concerned I am down to two hens now, who are obviously stressed and rattle around the cube at night in this cold weather.

 

Thanks everyone .

[kevtheplumber]

Interesting post this as I'm having severe pecking issues

[craftyhunnypie]

Sounds like a Pole cat or similar. So sorry to hear this.

 

Emma.x

[Josh Bohmier]

Sorry to here of your loss. We too lost to birds this past week. But here it was a racoon. Saw the tracks in the mud. We are now battening down the hatches and putting an electric fence around the coop and run. Hoping that stops them.

 

Good luck and best wishes

 

Josh Bohmier