Little predator got into my coop yesterday morning

I live in rural Oregon and went out to let the girls out at 6 AM yesterday. Found three of my six hens dead and one missing. A weasel had squeezed through a gap between the hardware cloth and the frame that I thought was too small. Check every single inch of your coop if you have critters near you. Has anyone else had luck with electric poultry netting for small predators?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinson.quinn1mo ago

Was the gap near a corner or joint where the frame meets the hardware cloth? Weasels can squeeze through anything bigger than a dime, so even a half inch gap is basically an open door for them. Did you check if the missing hen was carried off or if there's a spot where the weasel might've stashed her nearby? I've heard electric netting works great for raccoons but weasels are small enough to slip between the wires if the spacing is too wide.

sagelane27d ago

Patch that gap with some metal flashing and screws, weasels will find it no matter how small it looks. I lost three birds to one last spring and it kept coming back through a dime-sized hole by the door hinge. Check under the coop and along the roost bars too, they like to stash kills in the bedding before dragging them off.