Death from Above???

[Jack Owl]

I have lost 1 large cayuga duck, and 3 average size chickens in 3 days. Apparantly, whatever i am battling, drags the chickens up on to my barn Roof to eat them!! It goes into a well enclosed cage, and ripped a hole in my Gamebird Netting and is dragging my birds out!!

I have a hunting camera set up, and this thing is faster than the camera.

Will a weasel do this??

 

[sgtmom52]

Sorry for your loss.

Is it happening during the day or night. It could be either a hawk or a large owl. I would think that a weasel would be too small to carry them to the barn roof.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some predators follow tendencies but they don't all read the book. Sometimes you are surprised at what is causing the problem.

What is left of the poultry or what parts does it eat? Does this happen at night? A little more information could help.

Can you spread some flour around to maybe get some tracks?

I really dislike raccoons, but I'm wondering if others think this sounds more like a bobcat?

I'd think a member of the weasel family, like a mink, would be more likely to eat them where they killed them, but it is certainly possible they would drag them off.

Not sure if the Cleveland you are in is Cleveland Arkansas, Cleveland Tennessee, or maybe somewhere else. In some areas, a badger or wolverine might be a possible culprit.

 

[Jack Owl]

First Night, ripped head off duck, and left body. Killed a large polish, and left body.

Second Day, between 8 and 9 AM, killed a small rooster. left body, and ate head.

Last night took a whole small silky outta the Pen.

My coup is topped with 1" bird netting and is about 8 foot high and Attached to the barn.

Found a hole in the Netting about 5" round and what was left of silky on roof.

It chewed thru the netting..Not a hawk. Its climbing on barn roof, and coming in from above.

Had to be pretty strong to drag a chicken about 10" high up, but Camera did Not catch it last night. Apparantly its fast.


I had a trap on the ground filled with sardines, but it did not go near that..

Im thinking of bringing all my animals in the house now!!!

Im in SE Tennessee

 

[Ridgerunner]

I like that area of Tennessee. Good fishing, good hunting, and it is pretty.

With that additional information, I'd think real hard about it being a mink. It could be something else, but that just sounds right from your description.

 

[Jack Owl]

Thanks for the help.

What bait should I use to catch a mink. Apparantly it doesnt like Sardines.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know for sure that it is a mink. It is just a guess. This article might help you. I've never tried to trap mink.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/furtake/mink.htm

I still think spreading flour around to try to get a track is worth doing. You could sure narrow it down with a good paw print.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would think a racoon. Or maybe a young bobcat? We were having a coon problem not too long ago. My neighbor lost quite a few birds. She lives about 1/2 mile down the road from me. We found her chickens remains on top of my immediate neighbors camper. At first we thought an owl had done it. So we put a have-a-heart trap and her game cam on top of the camper. We had a racoon the next morning, and the camera showed he had taken her chicken all the way to the camper. Dunno why he wanted to eat it up there

good luck- hope you catch whatever it is!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Have you had any luck with this predator?