Daytime predator problems

[georgialee]

I just had my (big) speckled sussex rooster and a full grown runner duck taken during the day yesterday. No prints or anything. I can see several areas with feathers where it looks like the rooster got loose and was caught again. Whatever it was went back into the woods to eat.

And ideas what it could have been? I've seen a fox down the road. I know there has to be coyotes around as well. Some people are saying a raccoon but the rooster was very tall/big and the way the feathers are scattered in spots it doesn't look like it was dragged on the ground.

I bought some leg traps and fox lure and DH is going to put up the game cam tonight.

Building a run is not an option - they have acres to roam. I just want to catch whatever's getting them.

 

[zazouse]

I had a bobcat that was doing that till i caught her and git 2 more dogs to help keep the rest away you can usually find the feather trail leads to the kill burried close as they will return for the rest thats how i caught the one here.

 

[georgialee]

Dang! I think we may have a family outing into the woods once DH gets home tonight. I'm buying some electric poultry netting for the time being. That should at least help some.

Of course whatever it is seems to be getting all of my
Blue/green/olive layers

 

[ChickInDelight]

Those bobcat pictures are incredible!!

I just lost a male Pekin, I am sure, to a fox. I live in foxhunting territory. Cubbing (training the hound puppies) starts in August here. Foxes take prey back to the den of vixens at certain times of the year, and I believe that time is now. Foxhunting begins in September when the parents will run away from the lair and often split to confuse the hounds.

When I lived at a foxhound kennels, chickens were kept to attract the foxes. I once saw a young fox take a chicken, that was too big for him to carry, not 10 feet away from me.

The good news is that the kill is typically very humane - particularly compared to how humans mass produce, keep, and slaughter animals for consumption.