Guinea trouble, Need help identifying a predator.

[Sasarious]

Over the past couple days my guinea flock has started to decrease. They are free-roaming, and we had about 16, but now we are down to about 8. Every morning we find on on the ground, dead, with its whole front breast+head gone. I don't know what type of predators do this... Any suggestions?
The Guineas sleep on top of our chicken "mansion"we call it, which is about 20 feet tall. It is enclosed in a well fenced in area. The fences are about 10 feet tall, and have no holes or openings.
Also, our buff orpington chicks (5 weeks ) were in a cage near our back porch. We woke up one morning, and the cage had been dragged halfway across the field, and all 6 of them were dead, had been eaten through the small openings in the cage. The predator did not manage to get the door to the cage open, and had pulled them through the small openings. It was horrid. Don't know if its the same thing thats getting the guineas, don't think a horned owl could drag the cage half way across the field....Maybe 2 different predators? Tonight, we are going to sit out with a gun *quietly*, with a chicken as bait in a cage in the field, and if we see anything, we will shoot it. Would like to know what it might be though before tonight. Location is Eastern Texas.
Thanks!~

 

[justplainbatty]

Over the past couple days my guinea flock has started to decrease. They are free-roaming, and we had about 16, but now we are down to about 8. Every morning we find on on the ground, dead, with its whole front breast+head gone. I don't know what type of predators do this... Any suggestions?
The Guineas sleep on top of our chicken "mansion"we call it, which is about 20 feet tall. It is enclosed in a well fenced in area. The fences are about 10 feet tall, and have no holes or openings.
Also, our buff orpington chicks (5 weeks ) were in a cage near our back porch. We woke up one morning, and the cage had been dragged halfway across the field, and all 6 of them were dead, had been eaten through the small openings in the cage. The predator did not manage to get the door to the cage open, and had pulled them through the small openings. It was horrid. Don't know if its the same thing thats getting the guineas, don't think a horned owl could drag the cage half way across the field....Maybe 2 different predators? Tonight, we are going to sit out with a gun *quietly*, with a chicken as bait in a cage in the field, and if we see anything, we will shoot it. Would like to know what it might be though before tonight. Location is Eastern Texas.
Thanks!~

If your run is covered, I would think weasel or mink. If it is open, skunks, raccoons, opossums, owls, easily. As far as dragging a cage, I would guess raccoon as they have hands to pull or reach through and grab. Game cameras would be helpful for you. I'm not listing coyotes, foxes or other raptors as they all would not leave carcass behind unless startled away. I would think that also applies to bobcats and such except for domestic cat.

 

[Sasarious]

Im not sure skunks, raccoons,or opossums could climb the chicken coop...Ill keep a look out.
As for an owl....That might be it.