Found body minus head and skin on neck - leave flock in?

[BennieAnTheJets]

so sad - lost Dori today - a 5 and 1/2 year old Coral Blue Guinea Fowl hen

she did not come home and I found her body with the head missing and the neck bones all bloody and without skin attached to the dead body in a bush, under some dense weeds

do you think it was a racoon? owl is unlikely, do to the hidden, on-the-ground location

we had a racoon here lately that the dogs chased up into a tree at night but I did not have a problem during the day before - Dori was attacked in daylight at 5 pm - gets dark at 6 pm now

I could put a trap where the body was left but them I would have to kill the trapped racoon - hm - not really up for that

what should I do? would you leave the flock in? for how long?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I am so sorry about your sweet Dori! Bear hugs!
I would definitely keep the rest of your flock in until you catch that critter! Good luck!

I would use the carcass to trap that Raccoon!!

 

[Jammerz]

I don't think it was a coon- why didn't it pack her off??

 

[Suzi18]

Definitely leave them in. Whatever it was may be back for another easy meal. Sorry about your Guinea

 

[Kessel23]

I don't think it was a coon- why didn't it pack her off??

What do you mean by pack her off?

 

[Kessel23]

I am so sorry about your sweet Dori! Bear hugs!
I would definitely keep the rest of your flock in until you catch that critter! Good luck!

I would use the carcass to trap that Raccoon!!

I agree, that is one of the best baits to use in a trap.

 

[Kiki]

I'm so sorry for your loss.
The raccoon will be back.
Do you have a neighbor that will kill it for you?

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

we have two dogs - do you think they may do the trick or do you think I really need to kill the racoon?

I just hate to kill the wildlife

would cat food work in the trap if I go that route?

Maybe a neighbor with a gun would be able to shoot it in the trap - but that does not seem right to me

yet - I do not want to lose more birds - they are like family to us - and the predator just ripped her head off - what a waste of life

this was Dori - she started in my bathtub in 2013 as a keet and would have been 6 years old in June - I have spent pretty much a few hours every day with her since then - I'll miss her

 

[Kiki]

we have two dogs - do you think they may do the trick or do you think I really need to kill the racoon?

I just hate to kill the wildlife

would cat food work in the trap if I go that route?

Maybe a neighbor with a gun would be able to shoot it in the trap - but that does not seem right to me

yet - I do not want to lose more birds - they are like family to us - and the predator just ripped her head off - what a waste of life

this was Dori - she started in my bathtub in 2013 as a keet and would have been 6 years old in June - I have spent pretty much a few hours every day with her since then - I'll miss herView attachment 1676873 View attachment 1676874 View attachment 1676875

The raccoon needs to die so your babies can live.

 

[blackandtan]

The dogs can get badly hurt by a raccoon if they don’t know what they’re doing. Trap it and kill it, at least by using her as bait she can help save her friends