ID This Predator

[judyc]

I've never seen anything like this. Something got into a tractor and killed one of my call ducks. There was a slice across the top of the breast 1" wide and from side to side. No blood. No meat chewed.

We were out in the barn a couple of days ago. The was a feral cat, dead, wedged in among some paint cans, on a concrete floor. The head was cut half-way off. Once again, a gash 1" wide and no blood. No other damage to the body.

All of my chooks , ducks and geese are in a metal house, on concrete, but I can't let them out in the tractors again until I find this thing. I have rat traps out, poison out, and LGDs in with the sheep.

A couple of years ago, the hired hand told me he'd seen a pair of Fishers. I know there are mink around also. Could it be something like that?

 

[bargain]

Mink, weasels would act like this. owls will behead as well and certain other predators. So sorry..... I don't think rats at this description. Maybe some others could point to other predators. We did have a raccoon that did a horrific v cut on our of our geese that happily survived but it was months and months of care for the poor dear. So sorry this happened to you. Praying you can shore up your defenses even more and protect your flocks.

 

[judyc]

Well, looks like I'll be changing my tactics. I'll be building a small, impregnable cage for a bantam, inside another cage with a trap incorporated into that.

We'll see just what we've got.

I might get a mink coat out of the deal. HA!