Litmus Test for Predators

darkmatter

Crowing
13 Years
Jul 10, 2009
2,173
79
299
Had a bout with Raccoons earlier this year and set the live trap. Caught several Raccoons, two foxes, and possums. Released some stupid cats and a Guinea. Haven’t caught anything for a while and having a couple surplus Roosters I was thinking about butchering------I tossed them out of the Coop/Run to free range it for a while till I could get around to wanting Chicken Noodle Soup. One disappeared the first night and the second vanished the third night. No sign of a struggle or feathers, they had been roosting in a big Cedar Tree and free ranging the yard during the day. So-------yes, I still have something coming in to eat chickens and either is too big for the live trap or has become trap smart. (I’s gotta git me a trail cam, I might have a bigfoot or something else big & scary.)
 
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My greathorned owls (GHO's) target smaller birds first. Anything the size of dominique hen or larger seems to be difficult for them to fly far with. If GHO, then look within a 100 foot radius for the feather pile or remains. They fly as far as they can but do not seem to drag kill like some hawks do.

What breed is being taken. My GHO seem to leave dominique roosters alone but will, if given time take every single hen.
 
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These two Roos that disappeared were large older dual purpose mutts----->10 pounds. They were roosting in a large Cedar tree, so they weren't very visible and there was no sign of struggle or feathers. It's as if something just picked them up and carried them off whole! (I need a trailcam to catch bigfoot)
 
Can't remember where you're located... coyote? bobcat? cougar?

Personally I'd cross my fingers for bigfoot. Lose a couple mutt roos, gain millions when you sell that trail cam footage!
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We've gone quite a while without an attack here. *knock on wood* And then I found one of the 8 weekers the other day on the lawn, headless and frozen solid.
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It must not have gone in the coop the night before. Stupid bird.
 
If a GHO can handle a full-grown skunk or porcupine, it'll take a 10-lb rooster with no problem.
 

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