My first ever predator death. :'( What did it?

[B. Saffles Farms]

Quote:
Same here. We have a lot of coons around but very very rarley have any trouble with them.

 

[Bluedog420]

Death by raccoon....

 

[zatsdeb]

how about rats? or skunks, they will take the head too.... we caught a skunk in the act! never thought they would. we had coons and they took the whole bird, unless it couldnt get to the bird, then reached through the fence and took the head.
neighbor had fox and they took the whole bird, took home to the baby foxes.
I'd set a live trap and find out before it comes back and tries to get in your chicken house!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Same here. We have a lot of coons around but very very rarley have any trouble with them.

I would agree with you mostly. last year I had raccoons free ranging with my chickens for the cherries in my backyard. They were within 2 feet of each other (raccoons ignored the chickens). Since I'm not home during the day, who knows what's going on. But since I live in a very urban/suburban area chances of it being another predator are pretty remote (not impossible). Although about 8 years ago I went out to do some yardwork and found a LARGE pile of poop in the backyard. Had to be a human on fiber therapy or some big animal. The next door neighbor and I were wondering if it might have been a cougar passing through in the night. We still refer to it as the day of the "big poop".

Imp

 

[mschickychick]

I think...

 

[Guinea Goonie]

We all make chicken mistakes. Try not to let this bring you down.

If this was a night time deal, I would say it was a coon that may have been spooked.

If you live in the suburbs this is who I would blame. It is true that if a coon or for that matter a possum has enough food to forage for it will not seek out your stock. I would blame a possum LONG before I would blame a coon, however you would probably have seen the thing in you coop and they tend to start at the rear or side of the chicken.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My friend had her heads of her chickens ripped off and it was a weasel. They like to just suck the blood out and they will leave the body. I'm SO sorry for your loss!

I forgot to close my coop door one night too but thank goodness nothing was around and they were all good.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

She was beautiful.... I'm so sorry this happened to your special girl.

 

[Andora]

I have never seen a weasel, but it does sound like something a weasel would do. We do have raccoons here, and possums, and a few days ago there was a VERY strong skunk smell in my yard at night. I have also seen foxes in the woods near here when camping, but I've never seen any in my neighborhood. What ever did it opened my gate up and walked in. The fence doesn't latch, it just leans closed, and it was pushed wide open so that the chickens could get out...and it could get in.

They are locked up tight tonight! There is about a 1 inch gap at the top of the door where the weather stripping fell off. Hopefully nothing can get in through there. I'm going to borrow a staple gun to reattach it tomorrow.

 

[BaronRenfrew]

Hunting critters are smart: My experience is that raccoons get into a bloodlust, kill EVERYTHING biting off the heads, and then half eating one. Lost 25 bantams one night that way, its been war ever since.

If the blood is gone, then its definitely a weasel, they can't carry the body outside like a coon or fox will. A female fox will steal one or two and come back the next night for more. My uncle had a weasel living UNDER his chickenhouse, and didn't touch one of his birds but killed all the neighbours birds.

A tame city coon, might not even attack your chickens, they are garbage can eaters and take anything they can without a fight.

Living near a creek we always had coons trying to get my birds. For 10 years I tied one dog to the chicken house and left the other run free. I also "drained my potatoes" at different posts around my bird yard to leave a serious human scent. (I wouldn't suggest that in the city, then your neighbours would really have something to complain about.)