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

[sourland]

All of the 'cat' predators will bury killed prey. The canid preators will occassionally bury prey. It could be any of a variety of predators. You do well to be on guard - it will return. Good luck!

 

[screager312]

A mountain lion will bury the prey and come back later, they have like a 100 mile radius hunting ground.

 

[mrpekinduck]

Foxes bury their kills to save them for later. Good luck and sorry about your hens.

 

[baldessariclan]

Weasels do stuff like that sometimes...

 

[thechickenwhisperer24]

I say a Fisher, but I could be wrong...

 

[Mac in Wisco]

el chupacabra


I didn't want to leave out any possibilities...

 

[echip]

Several dim flashlight-beam glimpes of the killer seem to point to a neighbor's fluffy grey cat. This is not a feral cat. Could a pet housecat do that much damage? Two chickens dead, one large size and one bantam and a third large chicken wounded - all in the space of a few minutes. Just read upthread of someone who had that happen, so I guess it is possible, but so weird. It is also a problem for the remaining chickens because, while they are very secure at night, their daytime run is less secure.

 

[off-grid hen]

Quote:

Really... how many predators are KNOWN to bury prey on a regular basis?

 

[NewHopePoultry]

It could be a cat. Ive seen my cat take on some pretty big things...

 

[Kev]

I vote bobcat. That's how the ducks killed by bobcat in my yard were found- completely buried with weeds, could only find them by smell.

If you find a partially eaten carcass with very, very clean 'cuts', including cleanly cut bones, that is bobcat.

It was bobcat because the dog found him taking shelter under a brush right by where some of the ducks were buried.. It had jumped the 6 foot chainlink perimeter fence, so it could have jumped yours VERY easily.

p.s. that bobcat wiped out my ducks and couple geese in ONE NIGHT. I loved those muscovies.