Mystery Predator

[Billfred97]

One day I checked the chickens and one had a pretty nasty wound in its back and after a while it eventually died. And then the next day another one died, there where lots of feathers outside the run, the same happened with the first chicken, but this time the head was gone and it's meat was gone, so that all that was left was the bones and feathers. Anyone know what is too blame?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Probably a coon. Do you lock them up at night?

 

[Vtchicks]

We're goin to need some details of your setup, your location,....

 

[Billfred97]

I live in southern Maine but there's still pretty heavily forested, we haven't let them free roam in a while and they are in a run with pretty tall walls with a plastic netting sort of thing over most of the top, with a tarp over the rest, the fence goes into the ground about 6 inches... a while back i saw a fox across the road but that was a very long time ago, a little more recently but still a while back i saw a dead on the side of my road right around the corner from my house, and my friend has a fisher leaving real close to him, and there used to be a lot of cats roaming around

 

[TheChickenCameFirst]

Is this happening during the day or night? Is there any sign of the thing digging under, or tearing at the tarp? If your tarp is not really secure a coon could get in. If it is, is your run chain link? A mink or weasel could get through that in some instances.

 

[drumstick diva]

It wasn't me!! All kidding aside, were your chickens free ranging or in an enclosed run? Do you have a secure area for them or just chicken wire? What time of day have you lost birds?

 

[Billfred97]

I'm not sure what time the second one was killed, I think during the day, and i'm pretty sure the first was attacked during in the morning, there may be a way in on top through where the tarp and netting meet but i don't think there are any signs of tearing in the tarp, i haven't really checked yet. And the fenceing is simaller to chain link but it isnt, it has rectangular 2x3 holes in it instead of the chain link angled square holes.

 

[njduck]

do you have fisher cats?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

all that was left was the bones and feathers. Anyone know what is too blame?

Hawks will pluck a bird and strip the meat off the bones​

 

[Billfred97]

I know there are fisher cats in the area, and i know it wasn't a hawk because they cannot get into the run