Any guesses which predator? *update*

[jvls1942]

weasel.. I would put a coon as a distant second...

 

[sandspoultry]

An owl will eat just the head.

Steve in NC

 

[jvls1942]

many times a weasel will try to drag his kill away.. when it gets it that far through a fence or hole it quits trying. an owl will not drag it through a small hole, neither will a hawk. they are in the pen with the chicken, why would they poke it's head through a hole??

a coon will reach through a fence and grab a bird.. but then ,usually,
there is s sign of struggle and a lot of feathers missing or roughed up .. and if a coon did eat the chicken which he dragged through the hole , everything he could chew away through the hole would be gone, not just the head..

I have been fighting with these critters for 40 years..

do not rule out rat for this one..

 

[AppleHen]

The ducks are locked up in a coop at night now. However something was on the pond fence last night, then jumped off suddenly and took off really fast. It only turned around for a second and its eyes were glowing really bright. It was down low to the ground, like a cat or coon. it was too far away to tell what it was...

I have had a live trap out there since the 1st duck was killed, baited with tuna. But nothing has gone in... it seems like whatever it is, won't go near the trap.

It went inside the fenced area both times. The first time, a feather pile was found near the duck's nest (in the center) however the duck was found way over up against the fence. The second time it was killed/eaten in the same spot---a few feet inside the fence. *only* the heads were eaten both times...

 

[E.G.Glayer]

It is (most likely) a weasel or a coon but I did catch a weasel in the act, he burrowed through the dirt and lattice work under my coop and tried to pull her back with him but couldnt. The trick to catching the right predator in a trap is putting bait that it cant resist. I tried lots of things but only caught the neighbors cat using store bought chicken livers and tuna. If you want to get this critter it needs to be used to the trap being in the area for one new things and new smells will get noticed, you can google chicken heads and order for bait. These should get it in the trap. I wouldnt recommend relocation for the critter unless you put it underground. Good Luck!

 

[AppleHen]

Some of the ducks refused to go into their coop last night and went back to the pond. We lost another one but the predator was caught in the act - an OWL!

 

[sandspoultry]

I figured that's what it was. But sounds like you have other pred's hanging around as well. Sometimes when you shine a light back in the woods at our farm you are suprised at how many eyes you see looking back at you.

Steve in NC