Poultry Predator Identification

[slordaz]

lost a second one while she was out free ranging, getting a trap, something tried to pull her into it's den in the ground out in the pasture, all we found were the legs 1 wing and a bunch of feathers neatly piled around the entrance. can't see inside the den but it's kinda a flattened oval about 3 or 4 inches tall and 7 or 8 inches width

 

[sirrahm]

I had something get into my coup. I have heavier 2x4 wire on the outside and chicken mesh under it. cement floor and a heavy tarp over the roof of the wire. Tarp weighs about 80lbs. Anyway three ducks had their beaks chewed and all the feathers ripped out of their backs but nothing eaten. One duck was still alive when I found them in the morning. None of the 14 chickens or the 4 roosters were bothered. Not a sound during the night. I would have expected a hugh racket with the invasion but nothing. Really left me scratching my head. Looked outside for any prints or signs of an animal couldn't find anything. Totally bummed. Ducks were 4 years old.. Put out a humane trap and got nothing. Used a Nations hotdog too grrrrrr.

 

[slordaz]

I had something get into my coup. I have heavier 2x4 wire on the outside and chicken mesh under it. cement floor and a heavy tarp over the roof of the wire. Tarp weighs about 80lbs. Anyway three ducks had their beaks chewed and all the feathers ripped out of their backs but nothing eaten. One duck was still alive when I found them in the morning. None of the 14 chickens or the 4 roosters were bothered. Not a sound during the night. I would have expected a hugh racket with the invasion but nothing. Really left me scratching my head. Looked outside for any prints or signs of an animal couldn't find anything.

Totally bummed. Ducks were 4 years old.. Put out a humane trap and got nothing. Used a Nations hotdog too grrrrrr.

Might be something smaller and your using the wrong bait to catch it. In the future if something like that happens document it with close up photos and maybe the wildlife people can help identify it from something in the pictures.

The reason I couldn't figure out my predator as it didn't fit anything, was it was 6 feral cats working together to take down adult hens, never got to sound a warning. It isn't something that they would usually do unless starving. Live trapped but had issues keep em caged while I caught the rest of them, but after trapping 3 of them they did move on elsewhere on their own

 

[sirrahm]

Thanks for the reply..... only one received. Again no idea what it actually was, I have a good imagination though. I thought it may have been a family of coons with the avoidance of the chickens(12) and roosters(5) and concentrating only on the ducks Thanks again

 

[slordaz]

Thanks for the reply..... only one received. Again no idea what it actually was, I have a good imagination though. I thought it may have been a family of coons with the avoidance of the chickens(12) and roosters(5) and concentrating only on the ducks Thanks again

Coons would go after the smaller chickens before the ducks, find it interesting they went after the bills of them though, makes me think canine species the cats went into duck pen put left them alone. Talk to local animal control or wildlife managment maybe and borrow some live traps but bait depend on what your dealing with again, there's a few other options from cheap to expensive or time consuming. I spent the night out watching the pens because I was loosing them both during the day and night, so I had an idea of what I was dealing with then baited live traps for them.

Not sure where you live so hard to say what your predators in the area are, but , fox, wolf, dog come to mind

 

[sirrahm]

We have coyotes and coons and a couple hawks, once in a while an owl. The damage on the ducks was extensive, like i said the bills were crushed like a nut shell feathers and skin ripped off the back or stomach but nothing eaten. I thought canine also but since this coop is like Fort Knox and the ducks were in the coop for the night, I couldn't understand them climbing between the heavy bungied canvas and the wire to try to get in on top. Again that wire was bitten or cut to make a small hole in the top, probably 6 inch opening, and the area where the lacing wire had been removed half way up the wall was too neat. My thoughts are if it was an animal the wiring would have shown a bit more damage when they entered or exited. Coyotes would have eaten or taken their trophy. Fox would have gotten the chickens first or in addition. Mink would have removed the heads same with weasle. Owl wouldn't waste their time since there is so much prey in the woods. The only other option would be human trying to make the assault look like an animal predator. If that would be the case I hope that I never find out.... I can't remember if I mentioned that my neighbor in the back on the farm has chickens that free range 24/7. That also gives me the impression that it was human rather than wild prey animal. They'd all go for the easy mark first.

 

[Red Banks]

I have lost 4 hens in two days. I have one injured hen. I didn't even notice the first two. I did a head count last night when I realized one of my little Ameraucanas was missing. It is a daytime predator taking them while they free range. I heard a very strange noise at dark thirty last night and think it might be a bobcat. I only found feather patches for one Cream Legbar in the woods. No trace of the others. All of these hens are on the small side. None of the bigger hens are missing.

 

[sirrahm]

Most predatory animals hunt at dusk or dawn. Could be almost anything that is predatory since they are free range. If you live near or in the woods the pickings are that much easier. Fox, badger, weasel, fisher, stray dog, owl, hawk, feral cats, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, a really hungry bear, eagle wild boar. I've even seen coons that will hunt in broad daylight if they are hungry enough and have kits.All depends where you live and the lay of the land. Once they find a good source for food they will not leave until they can't access it any longer or their dead. So either you have to coup your girls up until the sun is out and before the sun disappears. circle them in electrical wire fencing, or be available for a little early dusk and dawn hunting of your own. Hunting camera helps to see what you don't. Can't blame the predator, that's what they do but it is maddening as all get out when you invest in the birds only to provide a free buffet.

 

[slordaz]

I have lost 4 hens in two days. I have one injured hen. I didn't even notice the first two. I did a head count last night when I realized one of my little Ameraucanas was missing. It is a daytime predator taking them while they free range. I heard a very strange noise at dark thirty last night and think it might be a bobcat. I only found feather patches for one Cream Legbar in the woods. No trace of the others. All of these hens are on the small side. None of the bigger hens are missing.

most likely if it's day time too , feral cats , Caught them as had em disappearing day and night, was a pack of 6 adult feral cats with 2 younger ones that had come into the area.

 

[slordaz]

We have coyotes and coons and a couple hawks, once in a while an owl. The damage on the ducks was extensive, like i said the bills were crushed like a nut shell feathers and skin ripped off the back or stomach but nothing eaten. I thought canine also but since this coop is like Fort Knox and the ducks were in the coop for the night, I couldn't understand them climbing between the heavy bungied canvas and the wire to try to get in on top. Again that wire was bitten or cut to make a small hole in the top, probably 6 inch opening, and the area where the lacing wire had been removed half way up the wall was too neat. My thoughts are if it was an animal the wiring would have shown a bit more damage when they entered or exited. Coyotes would have eaten or taken their trophy. Fox would have gotten the chickens first or in addition. Mink would have removed the heads same with weasle. Owl wouldn't waste their time since there is so much prey in the woods. The only other option would be human trying to make the assault look like an animal predator. If that would be the case I hope that I never find out.... I can't remember if I mentioned that my neighbor in the back on the farm has chickens that free range 24/7. That also gives me the impression that it was human rather than wild prey animal. They'd all go for the easy mark first.

anything in the weasle family will do what your describing, and they will kill for sport, had a neighbors ferret get out and killed them just for the hell of it. so might wanna rethink possibility there. They left the birds chewed and dead but not eaten or anything