Maldwyn Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 From a pen of 500 poults, I picked up 8 dead poults yesterday and 36 this morning. This is one hell of a blow to lose nearly 10% from one pen in 24 hours. Needless to say It'll be a late night tonight. All seem to have been killed during the hours of darkness. Some have had their heads eaten, others had their heads and breasts removed, one or two walking wounded with bleeding patches on their heads, others have been killed for fun and intact. We've had trouble with buzzards before, but this is not buzzards. All the poults were killed up against the inside of the fence. Some of the funnels on the inside of the pop holes have been trampled on as the poults were chased. Have heard of Goshawks chasing poults on the ground killing indiscriminately, otherwise inclined to think polecat. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 its a Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattslaptop247 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 I'd be inclined to say a fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 He will be back as well - get some snares out or wait with a rifle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Very difficult to say without seeing the birds but I would say fox or mink. Have you got an electric fox wire round the pen ?. If the funnels are well and truly flattened it would point to something heavier than a mink so I would be inclined towards a fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maldwyn Posted August 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 The hounds went through the pen before releasing, there's two strands of electric wire, anti-fox grids on all pop-holes and no signs of fox getting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 I have in the past, before I learned better, had foxes climb up trees next to the pen and gain access that way. Once in they have no incentive to leave. As I said it could well be a mink, little sod's they are. If it was one of my pens I would gently walk it with a few trusted helpers with 12 bores just to put my mind at rest, you never know. Put down a cage trap/tunnel trap or two in case it's a mink. All you can really do then is to put down some wires and sit out with the rifle and a flask and hope to shoot the blighter. Good luck......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 From the description, I would say a fox without doubt, and as said, they will climb trees, and the wire to get in, as has also been said, it will be back, be waiting or you will lose the lot eventually. Was there no footprints amongst all this carnage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev 1 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Let us know if you get what ever it is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creakindoor Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Polecat? If it is, then at this time of the year there will be more than one. Hedgehogs are fierce little predators. Useful allies in the garden, but killers if they get into a release pen via re-entry grid. Try a cage trap baited with the livers from the dead poults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Check the feathers, See if they are broken by being bitten through or stripped back. If broken more than likely a fox If stripped back could be a cat ?? If there is no evidence of entry it may be a cat getting in via a tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salisburykeeper Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 if the heads are missing its definately a fox or possible badger if you think it may be a smaller predator pluck one of the dead birds if theres lots of bruising then it will be a large jaw ie fox badger a mink stoat or polecat will have puncture marks around the back of the neck usually close to the head and a buzzard always leaves tallon marks either on the back and wings but sometimes on the breast also rats will also take young birds if they roost on the floor but wont remove heads and cats are unlikely to kill in numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Its a fox or a mink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quist Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 I'd say fox too. Get down there because he'll be back for sure. Take the dog around the area outside because they sometimes bury their surplus. If you find any buried bits, put some snares around. Use some of the dead birds to bait your own traps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 mink/fox/stoat fox will useally take a few but kill for later nail him her or them,it will be back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjlfishing Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 id say fox a badger will only kill what it wants to eat a cat might kill a few but check the dead birds for signs like auto said bird predation ie buzzard is ovious if its a polecat etc you will pick it up in a fenn easily id be sat out looking if its a fox what you find dead will be o nly a fraction of the damage the poults that fly out of roost will be mopped up on the outside by anything thats hungry and its defo not a hedgehog they only eat the guts out of birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salisburykeeper Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 ive found badgers in release pens that have killed loads of birds but you are quite right they usually only kill to eat but ive also seen a badger working its way down my rabbit wires before and make a mess of nearly 10 rabbits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjlfishing Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 i had one in a layers pen it killed one bird evey night ate it then went of to bed ive never know them kill more than they want but i witnesed one eating a pile of crows shot on a stubble in a hedge last wk when we were out lamping i had a look this morning and the lot had gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 With the weather we`ve had, surely there were pad marks ?? BTW - Don`t stress too much, it was just over 1 - 1/2 % you lost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 A Badger will normally bite them across the back - will hardley ever take the heads off it is a fox i tell thee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maldwyn Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Despite being up all night, he managed to kill another 10 last night. Two of the lads were out with rifle and lamp til 1.00am. They spotted one large fox about two fields away from the pen but didn't get a shot at it. I sat up near the top of the pen where most of the kills were made on Sat night with no sight or sound of anything. 5.30am, as the poults were coming down from roosting, I walked around the bottom fenceline and picked up 10 poults still warm. In one area, 5 poults had been roosting on fallen brash, probably 3ft off the ground. All 5 were killed within 4yds of each other, just silently picked off the roost one by one. Have found out where it's coming in. It's travelling through one of the pop holes and can squeeze through the anti fox grid. This morning, he'd tried to leave with a poult but couldn't get himself and the poult through. He goes over the electric fence without any problem. Tunnel traps not touched and despite the constant rain, no pad marks. One of the poults, when plucked was bruised the length of its neck. The neck was brokem and a single puncture mark through the skin of the neck (looks bigger than polecat / mink) Baited cage trap now placed 10yds away from pop-hole. Fox snare at the funnel. Waiting for him seems a waste of time as I'm unlikely to hear or spot him inside the wood with plenty of ground cover when it's chucking it down with rain before he picks up my scent. Will keep you posted. I reckon it's a young fox. Henry D.....This makes 54 dead out of 500 which is over 10% lost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Maybe worth putting a snare on the entrance to the pop hole he was coming in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millomite Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Had a fox do over 100 of ours the other week getting in through a pop hole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 can you borrow a high seat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Get down there and sort it or i`ll do it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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