Need help identifying............CREEPY!!

[tenderkat]

I went out to the coop this morning to let my chickens out for the day. I was in the run getting their water and food set up, and noticed these very creepy claw marks or something. I have no idea what they can be, but after investigation, I've found no other track marks or anything in the run, or out in the surrounding yard. None of the fencing appears bent or disturbed, and I have no idea what could have possibly gotten in out of nowhere, left these claw marks, and just disappeared!! My run is completely covered, and the largest gaps would be from some small areas where I used 2x4 welded fencing.

Here are some pics of the marks. They are about 5-6 inches long. Like I said, no tracks or anything, just these weird claw marks.

Any ideas? I've had no predator issues so far, but now apparently something has discovered my coop!!

 

[Baymen Moe]

Hard to tell how wide those are, but could they be from you chickens scratching in the snow?

 

[Elite Silkies]

Looks like bear claws to me.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

With no evidence of a bear track my guess is a bird beak made these marks. They look pointed at both ends like the snow was scooped up.

 

[La Mike]

How long are the marks ?

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

They dont look like bird marks to me... kinda scary...

 

[Overeasyplz]

wow, cool! I like creepy but not that close to my chickens! any other signs? Those are almost too unreal, like a prank with a pitchfork..or garden tool.

 

[3goodeggs]

could a badger have tunneled in? look for entrance holes.

 

[MissJenny]

With no reference as to size I am wildly guessing skunk... or possum... Can you tell us something about size?

Jenny

 

[tenderkat]

I tend to be fairly paranoid, and I'm sure I would have noticed those marks yesterday when I locked my girls in. I put them in early, while it was still daylight out, as we were going out for Christmas. After I locked the girls up I would have been in the run pulling their food and water. When I went out to the run this morning, prior to my girls being out, the marks were the very first thing I noticed. They are about 4-5 inches wide, and the space in between the marks are very exact. Also, where one of the clawtracks is, ther is no disturbed snow surrounding it, too far for a chicken to stretch it's beak. I've seen where my chickens have scratched and dragged their beaks in the snow before, and it's always been very messy and irregular. These scratch marks are perfect. No other evidence, and it would be impossible for a bear to get in the run without destroying the fencing, which is perfectly intact. Badgers?! Do we have those in Colorado? I just don't understand what could have gotten in without leaving some type of track mark outside the perimeter of the run. If it is a prank, it's kind of sinister, and the prankster would have had to have broken into our house, got past our Rottie and Pitbull, and out the backdoor, because the only foot traffic back there is to and from the coop. Except for this morning when I investigated, now ther are human bootprints everywhere!! Weird, weird, weird!!!