Identifying predators

[Kaleen Morris]

With great sadness I type- Yesterday just before dusk, something attacked my rooster. This is the second rooster in a month that was attacked in the same way. My birds free range. I went out to lock them up for bed and found a pile of feathers, no blood just a pile of feathers. I spotted a few feathers leading towards the woods so I followed them and found a feather here and there then another smaller pile of feathers and a few blood drops, I continued to follow until I found Nugget deep in the woods just laying there. I was sure he was dead but he was breathing, so I scooped him up and brought him home and immediately began doing everything I could to try and help him. His entire back was attacked with 2 puncture holes. His left side has a puncture hole and in the front under his neck shows signs of a struggle or fight, some abrasion. He was gurgling and not moving. I bathed him and treated him, gave him a syringe of water and electrolytes and made him a bed in a laundry basket where he slept inside our house but sadly he didn't make it. I just want to try and figure out what we're up against. We live in the woods. We have had many other birds in the past killed in the same way. I think its save to say we do not have dogs doing it. We have 2 dogs that would be go crazy if they seen another dog in the yard. The Birds are all close to the house when this happens. We have seen fox, coyote, raccoons, opossums all in our area. We got a photo of a fox one time in broad daylight. What predator kills, drags the bird off and then leaves the bird laying there? His head was not missing. Any help would be great, Thank you Sorry for the graphic photos

 

[Zebra and Yolk]

Oh im so sorry! I wish i could help, but I've only lost chickens to hawks and other animals who kill cleanly and leave them. We lost 11 or 12 to hawks in one day and 27 to some animal who left what they didnt want to share with me in one night.

 

[Sue S]

Don't know where u live but maybe a racoon, fisher, or dog??? That's what I have to worry about in Pa

 

[The Dapper Duck]

Yea, if we knew which woods you lived in it would help narrow it a bit, but you're still probably looking at red or gray fox and raccoon. I think anything larger would not have left much to find, and the other things like mink, skunks, and opossums just don't usually behave like that. There isn't much you can do if you are leaving them out all the time other than installing an automatic door might be somewhat helpful.

Sorry for your loss.