Killer came back and buried them in the shavings - what does that?

[echip]

A traumatic night. Around 2am we heard the hens screaming for their lives. By the time we rushed outside, two hens were dead in their yard -one a full size girl and one a bantam. Their necks were bitten. We locked up the others, but the predator returned in the night and buried the two dead hens in the shavings in their yard. What on earth would do that? It must be planning to return so of course we will spend the day strenghtening our defenses. DH thought he saw something grey when we first went outside. Cat? Raccoon? Possum?

What do you think?
Sad hen Mama

 

[willowbranchfarm]

That is awful I'm so sorry. I would thing a raccoon maybe, cause it might have buried them to save for later. Sorry

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

K-9 of some kind?

 

[Cackling Hen]

Quote:
Yep a dog

 

[Ridgerunner]

Burying it like that kind of sounds like a cat. Not knowing where you live, maybe bobcat, lynx, mountain lion? I think bears do that. Wolverines or badgers maybe. Not familiar with them at all. I don't think storing a kill for future use is all that unusual.

Hopefully some of the trappers on this site will chime in.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Bobcat will do that. I've also seen coyote bury rabbits for later.

 

[echip]

Thanks for your responses. The entry into the yard involved some ripping of material and the agility to climb up about 6 feet of fencing. And then to quickly return as soon as we returned to the house. We're in a suburb and have raccoons, possums, coyotes and possibly bobcats or mountain lions (although we've never seen either of these last two in our yard before.) Probably not a bear though.

 

[RingedTeal]

Coyote-Grey Fox

 

[SilkieBantams]

I'm thinking that the killer is a gray fox or a coyote

 

[southerndesert]

Wait within range of the buried hens with a rifle tonight.... I also say canine, fox or perhaps coyote.