What kind of predator?

[Janzen]

Any ideas on what kind of predator would carry a chicken off? Our predators here include possum, raccoon, skunk, bobcat, and coyote. It is not possible for the predator to have been an owl or hawk. Our coop is a secure metal shed and a large fenced enclosure with overhead coverings serves as another defense, but we let our chickens roam outside of that during the day. We went to put them up last night, and one chicken was missing from the enclosure part. I could tell a struggle took place because there were some extra feathers on the ground but no carcass or blood. Whatever nabbed our hen, carriers her away from the enclosure to the open area/pasture, because I could see feathers now and then leading away. I lost the trail after 10 or so yards. Any ideas? I plan to set up traps and a game camera to see what took our hen. I’m just curious what might have carried off our big Brahma. No tracks to speak of. I may have discovered a dog track but it was very hard to tell since it was in a mix of pine shavings and mud.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Bobcat and coyote will definitely grab and run. I've had raccoons drag birds to a different feeding spot too

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I'm sorry this happened to you. In 20years of chickens, it's happened only once to me and it was similar. To this day I'm not 100% positive and I have only seen 1 racoon via my nightcam that was trying to climb my run for a few nights, then gone and it's been about 8months of back to nothing on night cam. I do recommend the game cam, it's takes the guessing out. That being said my guess on what would carry the chicken off is coyote. A dog would carry it off possibly if not your own dog.... And possibly bobcat. Racoon, possum and skunk would kill and leave carcass. Wishing you luck and safety....

 

[Isadora]

Fox, coyote, and bobcat will carry off their prey.

 

[Krugerrand]

If you have raccoon and coyote, odds are fox are in the area also. I never knew we had fox around until one showed up on my game camera.

 

[Bronni]

I'm sorry this happened to you. In 20years of chickens, it's happened only once to me and it was similar. To this day I'm not 100% positive and I have only seen 1 racoon via my nightcam that was trying to climb my run for a few nights, then gone and it's been about 8months of back to nothing on night cam. I do recommend the game cam, it's takes the guessing out. That being said my guess on what would carry the chicken off is coyote. A dog would carry it off possibly if not your own dog.... And possibly bobcat. Racoon, possum and skunk would kill and leave carcass. Wishing you luck and safety....

What kind of camera do you have? We need to get one but I want to make sure it’s good quality since it will capture nighttime scenes. Thank you!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

What kind of camera do you have? We need to get one but I want to make sure it’s good quality since it will capture nighttime scenes. Thank you!

Enkeeo. I just looked for it on Amazon and didn't find it but there are many, many just like it "trail and wildlife cam." Looks like maybe Walmart has ours. It takes starts shooting pics and video's when something moves. Thanksfully not flying things like bugs or a leaf dropping, I've only gotten animals and me when I set it but get in the way, lol.

 

[RaesChicks]

Same thing happened to my chicken and the camera caught a neighbor’s dog. Is it possible to have been a canine visitor?