Raccoon killed chickens - feed to dogs?

[Amart]

Do you have bobcats??

Cayotes and raccoon are our main predators. There are owls and birds or prey....I don’t think I are ever had problems with them. There are bobcats in other areas, but I’ve never heard of one around here. There are neiboughhood cats as well.

Why do you ask about Bobcats? Thanks

 

[Amart]

You dont list where you are located, but if i had that result here in northern michigan with those tracks i would almost be sure i had a mink or martin.
Your unwelcome guest will return tonight for more fun. Take a whole chicken or a bloody piece of one that he killed and wire it to the trip pan, or in the back of a have a heart trap. It depends on what type of trap you have. Some have trip doors on each end, others one trip door. If you have to go buy one or borrow from a friend or neighbor, do so. Make it the medium size for racoon. Test fire it several times to make sure its not hanging up. Put it right in the coop where the chickens were.
Only trap this animal of you are prepared to kill it. You can not relocate as you will only give your problem to another chicken owner.
I am sorry for your loss!5
Last fall a weasel (a small cousin in the mink, martin family) found a way into my coop at night. A coop that i thought was impurvious to preditors. He killed my broody hen, all of her chicks and 2 other adult birds. The next night i caught him by wireing one of the dead baby chicks to the pan of a small have a heart trap. Its almost a sure thing your ermine will return.
Here is my weasel the next morning.
View attachment 1633577

Well done catching that weasel! That’s guy looks very guilty!

 

[centrarchid]

Martens are in your area. Double check on the Bobcat / Lynx option. More than one critter could have stepped in each track if snow deep and refrozen. Makes for easier travel.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Cayotes and raccoon are our main predators. There are owls and birds or prey....I don’t think I are ever had problems with them. There are bobcats in other areas, but I’ve never heard of one around here. There are neiboughhood cats as well.

Why do you ask about Bobcats? Thanks

Because those aren’t raccoon tracks.

 

[llombardo]

I personally would not feed to the dogs. You don't know what type of predator or if they carry diseases. Never feed a dog cooked bones, not sure cooking then giving just the meat would necessarily remove any bacteria that may have been transferred.

 

[50-45-1]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_Canada
According to this list you may have fischer and mink and 3 different kinds of weasel.
They are not only found out in the woods. But in rural areas to.
This was not bobcat, racoon or fox.
Only one bird partially eaten, all others dead with injuries around neck, at night, this is classic ermine MO.
This carnage took some time and created alot of noise.

 

[roosterhavoc]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_Canada
According to this list you may have fischer and mink and 3 different kinds of weasel.
They are not only found out in the woods. But in rural areas to.
This was not bobcat, racoon or fox.
Only one bird partially eaten, all others dead with injuries around neck, at night, this is classic ermine MO.
This carnage took some time and created alot of noise.

That track is not a mink, Fisher, marten or any kind of weasel. It’s far too big.

 

[roosterhavoc]

It’s hard to tell the size of the actual tracks because the snow has melted. A fox track can look as big as a coyote once the snow has melted some.

 

[50-45-1]

Actually i think the track looks like lynx or bobcat. The track photo is i am guessing outside the coop where many things may have passed by.
But going by the carnage and the damage done i think what actually got the chickens was a mink or something in that family.
Racoon, fox coyote, lynx and bobcat would have created more than just slight bites and punctures in the neck area. Also eaten more than just one head off 17 birds.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Actually i think the track looks like lynx or bobcat. The track photo is i am guessing outside the coop where many things may have passed by.
But going by the carnage and the damage done i think what actually got the chickens was a mink or something in that family.
Racoon, fox coyote, lynx and bobcat would have created more than just slight bites and punctures in the neck area. Also eaten more than just one head off 17 birds.

It’s not the norm but bobcats absolutely kill prey by a bite to the neck or head. Usually they would eat a lot more but animals don’t always follow the rules. I’ve had foxes kill a bunch of birds and bite off a head just like a raccoon would.