My first scare...still not sure what it was??

[Kate K]

I had our 14 hens out last nite a little past 7pm and I heard major squawking and panic, so I ran out and I look over and there's this creature...I think a lynx, but looked like the devil reincarnated, standing like a statue staring intently yet not doing anything. I grabbed a steel rake and started waving it and it retreated but I couldnt tell how far it went. The girls though went totally catatonic and didn't run into their pen...just stood there squawking. Now I'm having a heart attack because I couldn't get them in, so had to go back in kitchen grab their cracked corn....of course hubby not home I'm by myself(
I get them in and only can only count 13, so start a search and thankfully find the missing rir hiding up on a stone wall near my deck. I picked her and put her in coop. I talked soflty to them (as my heart is racing) and gave them some bread to get their minds off the trauma.

This "thing" Im not even sure if we have lynx in CT had enough time to kill at least one or two, but didn't...it was tall like a medium/large dog with very thick light tan legs. I didn't see any black markings like you see on bobcats. Thick head with not a lot of fur around the ears that's why it didn't strike me as a cat, but could have had its ears pinned back.
Any ideas of what this was??
I hate this...everything was so safe and now I don't trust my own backyard. I hope the girls learn to run...only one was smart and hid! What up with that?? I think I need rifle lessons and a glass of wine)

 

[cayugaducklady]

It's possible there are lynx in CT. I'm not far from CT and we have both bobcat and lynx.

Your state or county game warden or fur biologist can help determine what kind of cat-type predator it is.