identify what killed my chicken

[theFox]

http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Mammals/Carnivores/ltw.cfm

 

[thomas chicken]

Quote:
Thanks for the link.

 

[thomas chicken]

Well I took your link and called my local conservation dept and spoke to a wildlife biologist. He did confirm that we do have weasels but they are very few and far between in this area. He said in his 16 yrs of state service he had never seen one and only knew of two that had been caught or spotted, not sure on what he said about the two weasels. He did say that a weasel would be at the bottom of his list.

On a side note the varmint did not come back to the live trap last night. To bad I messed up the first time trapping this animal.

 

[theFox]

My intent with the link was to point out that there are indeed weasels in Alabama, and now you have confirmation from a wildlife biologist that they are even in your area.

I've been around for some time, the last few years have been in the town listed to the left of this posting.

I've never seen a weasel or raccoon on my property, however my previous neighbor's barn cat used to kill one every winter, and the trapper doing beaver removal, caught a raccoon.

I've seen a mink, snapping turtle, turkeys, deer, hawks, eagles, red and gray fox, fisher, pileated woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, tons of song birds, toads, frogs, beaver, brook trout, woodchucks, porcupine, skunks, and ells.

Given enough time and covering enough land you'll likely see all kinds of things that you didn't think were around you.

 

[thomas chicken]

Yeah I thank you for the link. I did not think we had them, but I know different now. Being educated is very impotant.

However I still do not think it was a weasel, but I could be wrong.

 

[geebs]

A cat will leave that presentation... A housecat... Just so you know... They only get out of site and eat the good parts...Did the tail seem tattered.. a cat will frequently pull out the tail feathers in the chase...

 

[thomas chicken]

From what I recall the tail was in good condition.

House cat is on my list of suspects!

 

[geebs]

I would watch out for a fat nieghbor cat that is looking at the pen....That is the God's honest truth.. Cats have a HUGE impact on the fauna around their home.... They would get the dominant animal because it is the flock protector.... A hawk or other unsuspecting preditor would get the weaker one..Just sayin.... keep your eyes peeled for the great mouser... heavy cat as it is a big bird that was taken. If one develops an eye infection or something that is likely your culprit as the chickens go for the face....

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMO more than likely a housecat or weasel. A raptor (acipiter or owl) will take it to a tree to eat. Unless the bird weighed too much in which case it will eat where the kill took place but that would be obvious. I had a possum get in kill a Freedom Ranger. It tore a leg off, ate the guts and left the rest alone.
By the way, housecats are one of the primary causes of wild bird extinctions worldwide, especially on islands. That is not to mention their effect on reptiles and amphibians. Obviously, I prefer my native lizards and frogs to invasive cats. They are non native predators (unless you live in Asia Minor or Egypt) which compete unfairly with native predators. i.e. fox, coyote, mink, bobcats. By unfairly, I mean they have a home where they are fed but still go out and kill precious prey resources for fun.
We have met the enemy and it is the cat owner that lets his pet roam. A housecat should be exactly that, a housecat

 

[thomas chicken]

Well my westward next door neighbor has several cats that do stay outside. My southerly neighbor is feeding two foxes that have recently showed up. My dog killed two opossums in our front yard, a week ago, which faces north and has killed several over the years in the back yard. Plus we have the birds of prey, less eagles. I almost forgot a raccoon siting within the neighborhood. And not to forget the ever elusive weasel!

So it kind of leaves it wide open.