Poultry Predator Identification

[Betsy57]

Good for you! Atleast you caught something! Im glad you got a replacement. Don't give up on setting the traps. Sometimes, like here right now, they leave you alone but when you least expect it...they are back!

That's what I'm afraid of. With the sun setting so early, I can't get home from work until after dark. I'm so scared for my critters but I hate to keep them locked up all day. Sigh. I think it was a weasel or mink that got him. They can get in 1" hole so hard to keep them out and hard to trap since they're so light they often do not set off traps.

 

[kkidsmom]

If the head and neck are missing the predator is a fox or foxes. That is how they kill they rip the head and neck off. I saw a fox kill one of my birds that way many years ago.

Was it the breast meat eaten or was it the internal organs eaten? Raccoons really like the breast meat and head and possums will usually go for the head and the internal organs. I'm guessing it was a raccoon if multiple were killed. They very commonly come out during the day, and don't necessarily have to be sick to do so. I would recommend getting a large live trap, putting a dead chicken inside and catching the predator. It will be back again now that it got a meal. Raccoons are especially vicious killers and will kill multiple birds at once and may only eat a little off one or each bird. I would also make sure the door is shut well before dark. My girls go in at dusk and I shut the door right behind them because you never know what may be lurking around at sunset looking for a meal.

once you catch the killer though please dont reloacte it!

it just moves the problem for someone else.. Hope that helps a bit

I agree the possum that got our three two month old chicks took the head and neck of two and ate the internal organs out of two. So I guess many predators kill this way.
We got him last night!

 

[sueiris]

Tonight I went out to my hen house to shut the door for the night, and noticed only 3 of my 6 hens were inside. My first thought was 3 of them were roosting in the tree near the house or they were still in the hedge row. My son wen outside with me to investigate, with flashlights, we searched the hedge row, as my son walked across the yard he almost stepped on one of our dead hens, a little more looking around and we found the other two. Their bodies were in the middle of a well mowed side yard, 2 of them had their heads and necks missing, very little feathers scattered, and the third was also missing the head and neck, but the chest was also ripped open and partially devoured. About 2 weeks ago my son saw an owl swooping toward the chickens during the day, but they all took off running for the house and the cover of our landscaping bushes. I can not understand what could have gotten three of them in one shot during the day, and why did this predator leave the bodies in the middle of my yard, wouldn't it drag them to a hiding spot. I have let the hens run around my yard freely during the day, and lock them into their coop each night, I guess I am lucky that this has been my first problem. My cat even runs around with these chickens daily with no problems...they even get into her food dish in her kitty coop.
Any thoughts are appreciated. I am definitely changing my practice of letting these gals roam.

what a shame. hope you find your culprit.

 

[peepsandquackes]

That Is one ugly possum...kkidsmom! Well as if any of them are pretty

 

[jammyjammy2112]

hi i live in ireland.The onl preditors around my area are foxs hawks and minks.I am pritty sure its a mink this happined just befor christmas he came back lat night and moved a dead body that i didnt relise was there.This is why:
1.No hole was dug only small holes that where allways around the big chicken coop
2.He only ate the head
3.Killed loads didnt eat the heads of all
4.I had two 16 week old pullets left out of 8 that had been sold and they where in a seperate coop but this coop was inside the bigger coop do you get me.And there was only a tiny tiny tiny tiny hole i dont no how a mink or anything could fit trew that except a rat or mouse.A rat wouldnt kill them at this age they eat mice now.They where killed and one of them had his head eathen the other didnt.
These are the reasons i dont no what it was:
1.about 5 out of then where missing no feathers or noting and there was no hole big enough to fit a chicken out
2.he ate the head organs and pulled the feathers off one wing and did noting

I have 2 traps up fulled with sardines no takers yet
any idea what it is
remember only preditors here are:
1.fox
2.mink
3hawks ohh and it wasnt a hawk becouse i have a net and this happined at night.
4.rats for young chicks but i had no yong chicks at the time
5.defo not a dog or cat

 

[vanderlander]

Really great post

 

[Blue Roo]

Hello all I found one of my hens in the pin dead it has a hole about the size of a golf ball the hole is in between its vent and back leg does any body have any suggestion on what this might be

 

[kkidsmom]

Hello all I found one of my hens in the pin dead it has a hole about the size of a golf ball the hole is in between its vent and back leg does any body have any suggestion on what this might be

I hear predators like minks will do this.

 

[Cluckysnap123]

A fisher wiped out 10 of my ex-battery hens! I never kill an animal, so I caught it and released it on my old friend's land.

 

[Betsy57]

A fisher wiped out 10 of my ex-battery hens! I never kill an animal, so I caught it and released it on my old friend's land.

What's an "ex-battery hen"?