Help! Massacre, need revenge

[Elsveta641]

An animal has been taking my chickens and may have taken 2 cats. Ever since my Liege Fighter rooster died, something is taking birds almost every day. Its smart and can open latched cages. This morning it ripped open the screen in my garage and killed a brooder full of chicks and a OShamo hen brooding her chicks! There were 10 4 week old chicks, a 10lb Oshamo hen and her 5 new babies. Nothing left but feet and feathers, it ate every bite or took it home. The hen was in a rabbit hutch and the animal unlatched a 3 way latch to open the door. The other brooder is a 2 foot high stock tank that was covered with a screen window and bricks. One Tom cat was injured. There was feathers and blood for a 20ft radius but no one in the house heard a sound.

I need tips on what animal could do this and how to trap it. This has been going on 2 weeks and I'm done. It's taken some very valuable and well loved chickens and 2 cats are missing in the same time frame. We live in Iowa and there have been no coyotes or bobcat sightings in our area. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[LilFox]

Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this. If it’s unlatching and opening things I would guess it’s a raccoon. They are very smart, stealthy, and mean. Hopefully someone on here has some experience with this and can help you!!

 

[Elsveta641]

Thank you. Good news is I just found a single survivor hiding in the garage. Now I just have to convince the poor thing to come out

 

[cheekychick3]

Hi, So sorry for your loss, it is so sad. Glad you discovered a survivor. She is probably
in shock bless her. Cannot advise you what opened the latches. But someone here
will help you. I live in UK so only get foxes, which i detest. Just wanted you to know
my thoughts are with you. And hope you catch the blighter who done it.

 

[mesalina87]

Very well could be a racoon as lilfox said. I use 3 different types of closer on my coop. 2 intertwined bungies, spring hook latch and cross board at the door. I suggest put a animal trap cage out with a can of cat food in the back and see what you catch. Racoons are mean and smart. If you have a game camera set it up and see what it catches. Once you know for sure you can go from there.

So sorry about your loss.

 

[centrarchid]

I am missing a lot on this one. Predator like a raccoon with ability to beat latches will not be able to eat that much in one visit and very unlikely to catch an adult domestic cat. Predators like coyote or bobcat that can take a lot quickly are not likely to defeat lock or do a lot of eating on site. Possible you have more than one visitor or you not detecting problem immediately after?

I would hide remaining bird(s) and put out a game camera to see who comes in.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry for your losses! Do you have bears? Raccoons can open many latches, and tear wire, and maybe a family of coons did it.
Protect your survivors, and upgrade your coops and run, and add electric fencing if you can where you live.
A game camera will be interesting too.
Mary

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

How awful! I hope you get to the bottom of this.

 

[AuntieWeasel]

Fisher cats will take domestic cats. Members of the weasel family. Not sure if they have clever enough hands to open latches. Not sure if you have them where you are.

Raccoon would be my first thought too, though. I had pet raccoons back when that was legal, and they were very clever with opening things they shouldn't.

 

[centrarchid]

Fisher cats will take domestic cats. Members of the weasel family. Not sure if they have clever enough hands to open latches. Not sure if you have them where you are.

Raccoon would be my first thought too, though. I had pet raccoons back when that was legal, and they were very clever with opening things they shouldn't.

Biologist studying that possibility are not supporting fishers eating cats as a regular occurrence, even when not taking into account if the cat is a kitten or adult.