Help Identifying this--found it next to our coop??

[PugetCountry]

This morning I noticed our dog chewing something next to one of our coops...this is what I found...what the heck is it?? I've been worrying about coyotes (hear them near our property a lot lately) and raccoons....but now this has me worried because I've never seen anything like it...and it could easily get in our coop as it's not fully predator proofed yet.

Also, I have no idea how it got there...I have to assume one of my cats killed it...we just moved on 2.5 fenced acres coming from living in city limits...my cats have only killed bunnies, mice, moles, and shrews that I know of.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Hayduke27]

Maybe a weasel? How big is it?

 

[PugetCountry]

I'd say 5-6 inches (not including the tail)...

 

[Frost Homestead]

looks like mabye a baby squirrel?

 

[PugetCountry]

Holy cow...I just googled weasel and it does look like one I hadn't even given a thought to them because I've never seen one...I was all worried about bigger animals. I need to figure out something STAT! My chickies are definitely not safe from weasels in their current set-up...

Thanks for the help

ETA: Hmmm...could be a baby squirrel...another thing I didn't immediately think of Whatever it is the cat must have left it but my dog got to it before I did so it's kind of hard to tell...it does have some reddish fur...black whiskers...and longish tail.

Well...I will hope it's a squirrel! But still need to go do some work on my coop...gave me a good scare. Doesn't help that there has been a coyote near us for the last few weeks and it wakes me up every night..so I'm kind of on high alert.

 

[Farmer Brian]

Looks like a red squirrel or chipmunk to me.