Poultry Predator Identification

[memeandgrumpy]

Found out entire flock laying all over the back yard this morning. All dead, none eaten. We feel like a neighbors dog jumped the fence and just killed them for sport. Our coop has a timer that releases the door so they were most likely out foraging, a couple were missing their heads, but the rest were intact. Our chickens were use to our dogs so most likely wouldn't fear a dog.

 

[dekel18042]

Found out entire flock laying all over the back yard this morning. All dead, none eaten. We feel like a neighbors dog jumped the fence and just killed them for sport. Our coop has a timer that releases the door so they were most likely out foraging, a couple were missing their heads, but the rest were intact. Our chickens were use to our dogs so most likely wouldn't fear a dog.

It could very well have been a dog, however chickens are pretty smart when it comes to predators. Even if they are used to and get along with your dogs, they will still be wary if a strange dog comes along.

 

[karenerwin]

Found out entire flock laying all over the back yard this morning. All dead, none eaten. We feel like a neighbors dog jumped the fence and just killed them for sport. Our coop has a timer that releases the door so they were most likely out foraging, a couple were missing their heads, but the rest were intact. Our chickens were use to our dogs so most likely wouldn't fear a dog.

How awful! I am so sorry for your loss! I hope you can find some good replacement hens. I would put a trail cam out so you can see what is coming around.

 

[karenerwin]

GRAPHIC PICTURES!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HIDE THEM LIKE SOME PEOPLE DO



I lost 1 Black Penedesenca rooster & 1 white leghorn hen last night to an attack. There was no forced entry so whatever it was had to be able to fit through the fence ( some openings about half way up are about 2 inch square). Both birds are missing their heads, necks & internal organs. # other hens were left unharmed although they are pretty spooked! Any ideas as to possible culprits?

Here are the pictures.

 

[duckmanjim]

Raccoon!

 

[karenerwin]

Raccoon!

I'm not sure how it would have gotten in. All the coons we have seen have been much too big to fit through the openings in the fence and whatever it was was definitely inside the enclosure.
Would a small coon be able to defeat a year old Black Penedesenca rooster? I can tell there was a fight. The white leghorn hen was pretty small, but the male was a decent size rooster.
(Not as big as my Rhode Island Red rooster).

 

[memeandgrumpy]

GRAPHIC PICTURES!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HIDE THEM LIKE SOME PEOPLE DO I lost 1 Black Penedesenca rooster & 1 white leghorn hen last night to an attack. There was no forced entry so whatever it was had to be able to fit through the fence ( some openings about half way up are about 2 inch square). Both birds are missing their heads, necks & internal organs. # other hens were left unharmed although they are pretty spooked! Any ideas as to possible culprits? Here are the pictures. [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

weasels

 

[chickengeorgeto]

GRAPHIC PICTURES!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HIDE THEM LIKE SOME PEOPLE DO



I lost 1 Black Penedesenca rooster & 1 white leghorn hen last night to an attack. There was no forced entry so whatever it was had to be able to fit through the fence ( some openings about half way up are about 2 inch square). Both birds are missing their heads, necks & internal organs. # other hens were left unharmed although they are pretty spooked! Any ideas as to possible culprits?

Here are the pictures.

The white leghorn looking hen may have been killed by one predator then the carcass was scavenged by a separate predator. Question, is there a secure roof or top on this run? The likely hood of a dog jumping the fence makes me think that other varmints can also gain access to your birds from above. The hog wire or field fencing in your pen or run is an excellent barrier against which a predator of any description can pen or corner a panicked chicken. Indiana has a full compliment of flying, climbing, and jumping chicken thieves. The missing internal organs makes me want to blame a possum. The small under feathers plucked out and strewn over half of He&& and all of Georgia says owl or hawk to me. Because maw possums carry her brood either in their pouch or riding on her back means that mama possums don't carry morsels of food back to their young but raptors do because their young are nest bound for a couple of months. So maybe the head was dropped by a hawk or owl in route back to its nest.

If he carefully chooses his ground, a small coon can not only defeat a dog that is much larger, but kill the K9 as well.

 

[karenerwin]

The white leghorn looking hen may have been killed by one predator then the carcass was scavenged by a separate predator. Question, is there a secure roof or top on this run? The likely hood of a dog jumping the fence makes me think that other varmints can also gain access to your birds from above. The hog wire or field fencing in your pen or run is an excellent barrier against which a predator of any description can pen or corner a panicked chicken. Indiana has a full compliment of flying, climbing, and jumping chicken thieves. The missing internal organs makes me want to blame a possum. The small under feathers plucked out and strewn over half of He&& and all of Georgia says owl or hawk to me. Because maw possums carry her brood either in their pouch or riding on her back means that mama possums don't carry morsels of food back to their young but raptors do because their young are nest bound for a couple of months. So maybe the head was dropped by a hawk or owl in route back to its nest.

If he carefully chooses his ground, a small coon can not only defeat a dog that is much larger, but kill the K9 as well.

Yes, the entire top is covered by the smaller spaced field fence and secured very well. We do have a lot of hawks and owls around here & knew we had to keep them out. I put up the trail cam up in this coop/run this evening. It had been on the other side of the house in another coop/run/yard. All I had seen over there was an owl that keeps coming around at night catching mice and some glowing eyes that are too far away to identify what they belong to.
In the past, we have had skunks, coons, possums, hawks, owls & dogs that were running loose in the area.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I would agree with those that say racoon... if there is any opening they can squeeze through they will. Of course if it was a racoon, you are probably lucky you only lost two birds... and the rooster would not be able to fight off a racoon... even a small one.