What could have done it?

[dfleming]

I have a litter of piglets that are 3 weeks old. Very healthy, active and mom is a wonderful sow.

I start out to the barn real early (about 3am) because I heard Pinky (sow) and the piglets making an awful racket. I don't think I have ever heard her sound like that.
Anyway by the time I get the gun and get out there they had quieted down but Pink was visually nervous and she had her front hooves up on the wood partition that leads into the barn. This sow is not small by any means and is normally so laid back and sweet I could grab any of her babies and all she does is look to make sure its me (now no one else can but with me she is fantastic).

I look to see if anything is around the barn, nothing. Sat there for about an hour, still nothing. Its dark in the barn and I never thought to check inside the pen where Pink was because I didn't want to make her anymore nervous than what she was.

I go out this morning and I see one of the babies dead with part of her leg literally chewed and pulled off! It is separated at the joint and the poor baby must have been hurting so bad AND I DIDNT SEE HER!!!!! I feel like such an ass....if I would have seen it I would have put her down right then!

What on earth could have done it? I am beside myself and am going to see if I could get someone to help me load all of them into the trailer until I know what is out there.

I did have a clutch of baby ducklings go missing about a week ago (12 of them) and a bunch of eggs that one of my hens hide in there were all broke open. Could it possibly be the same culprit?

Dawne Fleming

[dfleming]

Thank you, you can bet I will be keeping a watch tonight!

I am wondering if maybe a fox? About a month ago I saw one trying to get into my chicken house (I keep them closed up at night). It has 2 doors that open up and one side I put fencing on so I don't have to close them up completely in the summer.

I don't know if a fox could do that but I have to say, if I catch it he wont be doing it anymore!

Dawne

[crystalkelly]

So sorry for your loss Dawne! Hope you get the critter tonight!

Crystal

[dmbenson]

A big raccoon could and would do it as well......and be less leery of a sow than a fox would. Foxes are very aware of the risk/reward ratios of different prey - they can't afford to get injured. Whereas a raccoon (at least the ones I've met can be much more aggressive/assertive where prey/food is concerned.

[haecklers]

Could be a coyote. A neighbor here had a sow that had 2 babies - the next morning just the sow. He had no idea what happened to her babies but we've had coyotes carry off 2 that were large and active.

Sorry it happened to you! How awful!

[dfleming]

Just wanted to update, it was a fox that has been getting into the barn (he is no more)!

All I can figure is the little one that died was separate from mom and he jumped into the stall. I can not even imagine how painful a death she had, still makes me really sad.

The third night I went out and sat in another stall and the fox showed up, went right to the stall door where I found the piglet, looked over the door and boom, he was no more.

Don't get me wrong, please. I am not a fan of killing any species of animal that is suppose to be here but when it comes to my babies (or any animal for that matter) I am not going to stand back and hope they don't get hurt or dead if I can help it. Years ago I would have horrified to think someone would kill a fox.....boy my outlook has changed so much!
I guess now my old acquaintance's can be just as horrified as I would have been. Definitely a lifetime ago it seems like.

Dawne

[robynsa]

Good for you, Dawne. If you're in a rural area there are more than enough native species for the predators to feed on. Looking for an easy meal is a death sentence as far as I'm concerned. Also, they tend to teach the behaviour to their offspring as well so you have an ongoing, recurring issue.

A livestock guardian dog works well in a non lethal sense, not sure if that's an option for you for the future?

Glad you've figured it out.

[elnini]

I'm a 'live and let live" kinda person and I'd have done the same thing as you. Fox passing by gets the stink-eye, but as long as he sticks to the equally feral-animal rabbits we can let be. Bother the chickens or lambs and it's toast.

[haecklers]

Wish you'd come get ours! It's picking our chickens off as soon as they go into the woods where the dogs can't see it! We're down to about 6 hens out of 30 that we started the spring with! Unfortunately, it's letting the roosters live so we've got lots more roos than hens now!

[Becky in TX]

Good for you! I'm live and let live also - unless they come after "mine" then all bets are off. Sorry you had to do it but it was definetly necessary.