Death in the pigeon coup!

[Jonathan]

Yesterday my pigeon coup was plundered. The only way in the coup is through the one-way entry door that I should have closed, but i have a few birds that like to return late, must be teenagers. Whatever got in killed all 16 quail and 9 of 40 pigeons. Ther only thing eaten was all of the birds heads were gone, no sign anywhere. A few of the quail had wings tore off and laying around. There are no signs of forced entry anywhere and no varmits were in the coup, does anyone have a clue what might have done it? All i can think of is a weasel or mink, that is about all i can think could fit through the pigeon door. If it was a weasel or mink why didnt they kill everything? I have a camera up now to see if it returns.
I'd appreciate any guesses, thanks

[Hotpepper]

You need to set a live trap outside the coop, he will definitely be back to complete the plunder. I would think that he just got full.

How big is the entry door, smaller today I would hope.

Good luck, that is what most raptors do, take just the head.

Pepper

[Ruffshooter]

If the coop is made with 1" chicken wire, racoons will reach in and grab whatever and pull it through. Squirrels and weasels will get in the smallest of holes.

I use 1/2" hardware cloth over the chicken wire at least on the bottom 2'0".

Rick

[Jonathan]

All the dead birds were inside. I have a elevated flight pen outside with half inch wire on top and bottem and chicken wire on the sides. What i dont understand is how it got out whatever it is. I should have had my return door shut but hindsight is 20/20. Well see what story the camera tells.

[Ruffshooter]

The racoons will reach in through the wire and pull till something lets go like a head or whatever.

A few weeks ago in one of my flight pens, I was surprised to see a red squirrel sitting on the floor by a dead bird chewing at the back of its neck. He got through just a small seam in the wire and found his way out just as quick. fixed the hole no more problem.

It does not take much for an animal to get in.

Good luck,
Rick

[jlp8cornell]

My guess would be a weasel/mink.

[zzweims]

I've had opposssum get in and do the same thing

[dog dr]

raccoon. they are smart enough and have the manual dexterity to lift up the bars on the one way door to get out. i lost all 5 of my pigeons last week the same way!

[TAK]

Coon! 100% sure! Seen it with my own eyes before. They will go in and maybe eat the heads, or dig in for the heart... But they will kill as much as possible.
I worked at a bird farm that had this happen to a couple hundred birds. The coon was killed and it was solved til the next one took an opertunity.

[Georgia Boy]

Had the exact same thing happen to me last week except the only thing left was some feathers. I think he even left and came back a second time. I put out a trap and caught a coon the next day. Weasel are known for just taking off the heads.

[sh0rthair]

I would say it was a mink.
A mink will eat the heads and leave the rest everytime.
A coon usually eats more of the bird but if it only eats the heads, it makes a mess out of the rest of the bird.
A coon wouldn't get out the coop without bending the bobs on the trap door.
A mink can.

[sjkennels]

i had an owl get in to my coop before and just took the heads off of the birds and didnt eat anything then had a cat get in another time but they ate a couple of the birds

[Georgia Boy]

A coon wouldn't get out the coop without bending the bobs on the trap door.

A coon got out of mine just fine with out bending the bobs. I know it was him because he was craping feathers in my trap.

[dog dr]

A coon wouldn't get out the coop without bending the bobs on the trap door.

A coon got out of mine just fine with out bending the bobs. I know it was him because he was craping feathers in my trap.

same here. they are escape artists.

[Two Bears]

An Ermin (spelling?) will do the same thing.

[solon]

I had a similar slaughter earlier this summer. The raider came back three nights in a row and I set some traps. I knew it was a coon, because I found some scat and a hair caught at an entrance. Then it was gone for about 4 days, but I found it in the coop at dusk and solved the problem with a 22 lr.



No problems since. I have two conibear sets in buckets in the upstairs loft, but they will need fresh bait if another coon gets in. If you don't have a secure place to set a conibear where a dog can't get to it, I would recommend a coon size Havaheart, probably the type that is open on one end only. Many states have laws against trap and transfer, so if you catch the raider, you need to kill it. Handle with care because of the risk of rabies.

Solon

[Sharon]

I thought there was a coup in the coop but then I realized there was a death in the coop. ( Just teasing you.)

[luke0927]

I got in a bad habit of leaving my door open and a young coon came in and killed 9 pigeons....Put my trail camera up and saw him trying to figure out how to get back in after i closed it up.

[lvrgsp]

Solon nice picture Sir. I can say you have some very well mannered dogs, mine would have dispatched of the coon right outta my hands.
Are those Munsters with your Setters?


Jonathan, what did the cameras story tell?

[Jonathan]

The cameras got alot of pictures of the neighbors dogs, some cats and a snoopy old lady, but not the offending party. I have decided it had to have been a mink or weasel but no proof. Nothing has returned and I quit setting the live traps because I got sick of releasing cats alive, counterproductive if you ask me, but thats the rules somedays.

[Meller]

Had the same thing happen A month and a half ago, hit my pigeon house evey four days, set a conibear and caught a rat; would have bet on it being a weasle.
Good Luck.

[Sprig]

i have had cats do this kind of thing before so dont rule them out of the picture.

[ACooper]

The best cure I have found for coop raiders is an Anatolian Shepherd... or a GP or other LGD.