Predator Help

[Stephanie_Moreland]

Warning: Graphic Photos.

I looked through all the predator posts in this forum first, and couldn’t find an answer to my question.
I need some help possibly identifying a predator. Yesterday evening I heard my big rooster (I call him FogHorn) in the woods behind the shop (my chickens free-range) and he was clucking and having a fit along with a hen I could hear. They cluck and have fits often. Usually when someone lays an egg. This sounded the same, just further in the woods than usual. It was about 4:45 pm. I only heard him because I went outside to start my vehicle. I called the chickens up to feed them- they all came except my rooster, FogHorn. I had to leave at 5pm. My chickens have always been free range, I let them out in the morning. I sprinkle feed out for them first thing. And in the evening I feed them again, and they all go back to “chicken Fort Knox” (the coop / pen) to roost around 6-6:30pm. Then I close them up for the night. We’ve had our share of raccoons- on game camera, caught in live traps, ect. We’ve had a few attacks from our own dog. (Dog stays penned up now when chickens are out). Our rooster alerted the chickens a few days ago to a chicken hawk- they all took cover and hid. The hawk left. We have a great horned owl. 2 of them actually- male and a female. One of them made off with a guinea of ours- snatched it right out of the tree in the early morning at dawn. We have 10 acres but are bordered on three sides by woods for 100s of acres. We have a foodplot for deer and on game camera we have seen fox, coyotes, and bobcats.
So, I got home yesterday around 9pm and went to lock the chickens up- all were in there, except foghorn. We drove the 4wheeler around in the dark to check the road to the food plot and the general direction I heard him clucking. Didn’t see anything. This morning, I went for a walk... followed scratching in the leaves - evidence from the chickens being there. Suddenly found feathers. Not many, but a little pile... then a trail of a few more feathers... and a short distance away— more feathers in a small pile. About 3-4 piles then nothing. It wasn’t many feathers- and it’s thick woods- briars, and brush. Feathers were up against a tree each time. I walked a little further and didn’t see anything so I went back to the road. Followed the road down to the creek (which is currently dried up from the heat) and in the dried creek bed- I spotted FogHorn. What was left of him, right there in the open creek bed.
There were bone fragments all up the creek bed. - and just a couple feathers- he was missing almost all of his insides, his head, neck, a wing- basically all that was left was a shell of his spine, one wing, his back and tail feathers, and his legs and feet.
I’ve never seen anything eat almost an entire chicken like this- bones and all.
I can’t imagine a hawk doing this, or an owl- being that the bones were crunched and fragments left.
I’m leaning towards a coyote or fox? Maybe? But I read that skunks can also kill chickens. Has anyone ever seen this kind of devastation and been able to identify what did it? The ground is too hard and dry for prints.

 

[Stephanie_Moreland]

Warning: Graphic Photos.

I looked through all the predator posts in this forum first, and couldn’t find an answer to my question.
I need some help possibly identifying a predator. Yesterday evening I heard my big rooster (I call him FogHorn) in the woods behind the shop (my chickens free-range) and he was clucking and having a fit along with a hen I could hear. They cluck and have fits often. Usually when someone lays an egg. This sounded the same, just further in the woods than usual. It was about 4:45 pm. I only heard him because I went outside to start my vehicle. I called the chickens up to feed them- they all came except my rooster, FogHorn. I had to leave at 5pm. My chickens have always been free range, I let them out in the morning. I sprinkle feed out for them first thing. And in the evening I feed them again, and they all go back to “chicken Fort Knox” (the coop / pen) to roost around 6-6:30pm. Then I close them up for the night. We’ve had our share of raccoons- on game camera, caught in live traps, ect. We’ve had a few attacks from our own dog. (Dog stays penned up now when chickens are out). Our rooster alerted the chickens a few days ago to a chicken hawk- they all took cover and hid. The hawk left. We have a great horned owl. 2 of them actually- male and a female. One of them made off with a guinea of ours- snatched it right out of the tree in the early morning at dawn. We have 10 acres but are bordered on three sides by woods for 100s of acres. We have a foodplot for deer and on game camera we have seen fox, coyotes, and bobcats.
So, I got home yesterday around 9pm and went to lock the chickens up- all were in there, except foghorn. We drove the 4wheeler around in the dark to check the road to the food plot and the general direction I heard him clucking. Didn’t see anything. This morning, I went for a walk... followed scratching in the leaves - evidence from the chickens being there. Suddenly found feathers. Not many, but a little pile... then a trail of a few more feathers... and a short distance away— more feathers in a small pile. About 3-4 piles then nothing. It wasn’t many feathers- and it’s thick woods- briars, and brush. Feathers were up against a tree each time. I walked a little further and didn’t see anything so I went back to the road. Followed the road down to the creek (which is currently dried up from the heat) and in the dried creek bed- I spotted FogHorn. What was left of him, right there in the open creek bed.
There were bone fragments all up the creek bed. - and just a couple feathers- he was missing almost all of his insides, his head, neck, a wing- basically all that was left was a shell of his spine, one wing, his back and tail feathers, and his legs and feet.
I’ve never seen anything eat almost an entire chicken like this- bones and all.
I can’t imagine a hawk doing this, or an owl- being that the bones were crunched and fragments left.
I’m leaning towards a coyote or fox? Maybe? But I read that skunks can also kill chickens. Has anyone ever seen this kind of devastation and been able to identify what did it? The ground is too hard and dry for prints. View attachment 2784149View attachment 2784150View attachment 2784151View attachment 2784153View attachment 2784152

this is a photo of his Right side

 

[Stephanie_Moreland]

this is a photo of his right side—- View attachment 2784155

This is a photo of his back—

 

[JNC]

I don’t think it would be fox because they normally take it back to their den so their would be no body. I can’t help much but I found this to eliminate some of your options. It could also be a mink since your near water.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Your profile pic doesn't show your location, but I'd start with common predators in your area, then narrow it down from there. The Pacific Northwest is going to have a different range of predators than say Southern Florida.

Your rooster clearly knew there was danger close by, his reason for alerting the flock, and he did his job quite well. It's unfortunate and sad that he paid for it with his life :-( When we hear a rooster alert, we don't go anywhere until that threat is gone or neutralized, and we haven't lost a roo either.

Anything that carries a full size rooster off has some size to it. I'd focus, depending on your area, a large cat, coyote, maybe even a bear? Only you will know what the likely predators might be in your area.

EDIT: Re-reading your original post, you mentioned bobcats and coyotes. I'd start there. Look carefully for tracks, fur, whatever might give you a clue. Here's the crappy part: they now know where to go for a meal, so you're going to want to raise your game and be more vigilant.

 

[Stephanie_Moreland]

Your profile pic doesn't show your location, but I'd start with common predators in your area, then narrow it down from there. The Pacific Northwest is going to have a different range of predators than say Southern Florida.

Your rooster clearly knew there was danger close by, his reason for alerting the flock, and he did his job quite well. It's unfortunate and sad that he paid for it with his life :-( When we hear a rooster alert, we don't go anywhere until that threat is gone or neutralized, and we haven't lost a roo either.

Anything that carries a full size rooster off has some size to it. I'd focus, depending on your area, a large cat, coyote, maybe even a bear? Only you will know what the likely predators might be in your area.

EDIT: Re-reading your original post, you mentioned bobcats and coyotes. I'd start there. Look carefully for tracks, fur, whatever might give you a clue. Here's the crappy part: they now know where to go for a meal, so you're going to want to raise your game and be more vigilant.

I’m in Southeast Missouri. We do have a few black bears in the county- but we’ve never seen one locally.
Thank you for your reply. I’m leaning toward coyote or bobcat then.

 

[Stephanie_Moreland]

I don’t think it would be fox because they normally take it back to their den so their would be no body. I can’t help much but I found this to eliminate some of your options. It could also be a mink since your near water. View attachment 2784217

I’ve never seen a mink in our area- but that doesn’t mean they aren’t around. I’m leaning toward coyote or bobcat.
thank you for the info!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I’ve never seen a mink in our area- but that doesn’t mean they aren’t around. I’m leaning toward coyote or bobcat.
thank you for the info!

Those would be my guess, I had one of my ladies taken mid day by a coyote with me and my husband along with our dogs outside. All that was left was feathers. The very next morning it came back for seconds, and I shot it. As @Swbertrand1 said it will be back. Best of luck to you

 

[McChooky]

Warning: Graphic Photos.

I looked through all the predator posts in this forum first, and couldn’t find an answer to my question.
I need some help possibly identifying a predator. Yesterday evening I heard my big rooster (I call him FogHorn) in the woods behind the shop (my chickens free-range) and he was clucking and having a fit along with a hen I could hear. They cluck and have fits often. Usually when someone lays an egg. This sounded the same, just further in the woods than usual. It was about 4:45 pm. I only heard him because I went outside to start my vehicle. I called the chickens up to feed them- they all came except my rooster, FogHorn. I had to leave at 5pm. My chickens have always been free range, I let them out in the morning. I sprinkle feed out for them first thing. And in the evening I feed them again, and they all go back to “chicken Fort Knox” (the coop / pen) to roost around 6-6:30pm. Then I close them up for the night. We’ve had our share of raccoons- on game camera, caught in live traps, ect. We’ve had a few attacks from our own dog. (Dog stays penned up now when chickens are out). Our rooster alerted the chickens a few days ago to a chicken hawk- they all took cover and hid. The hawk left. We have a great horned owl. 2 of them actually- male and a female. One of them made off with a guinea of ours- snatched it right out of the tree in the early morning at dawn. We have 10 acres but are bordered on three sides by woods for 100s of acres. We have a foodplot for deer and on game camera we have seen fox, coyotes, and bobcats.
So, I got home yesterday around 9pm and went to lock the chickens up- all were in there, except foghorn. We drove the 4wheeler around in the dark to check the road to the food plot and the general direction I heard him clucking. Didn’t see anything. This morning, I went for a walk... followed scratching in the leaves - evidence from the chickens being there. Suddenly found feathers. Not many, but a little pile... then a trail of a few more feathers... and a short distance away— more feathers in a small pile. About 3-4 piles then nothing. It wasn’t many feathers- and it’s thick woods- briars, and brush. Feathers were up against a tree each time. I walked a little further and didn’t see anything so I went back to the road. Followed the road down to the creek (which is currently dried up from the heat) and in the dried creek bed- I spotted FogHorn. What was left of him, right there in the open creek bed.
There were bone fragments all up the creek bed. - and just a couple feathers- he was missing almost all of his insides, his head, neck, a wing- basically all that was left was a shell of his spine, one wing, his back and tail feathers, and his legs and feet.
I’ve never seen anything eat almost an entire chicken like this- bones and all.
I can’t imagine a hawk doing this, or an owl- being that the bones were crunched and fragments left.
I’m leaning towards a coyote or fox? Maybe? But I read that skunks can also kill chickens. Has anyone ever seen this kind of devastation and been able to identify what did it? The ground is too hard and dry for prints. View attachment 2784149View attachment 2784150View attachment 2784151View attachment 2784153View attachment 2784152

Guardian dogs are great to have and a wise investment.So are electric fences.

 

[David61]

my cousin is in south west Tennessee.
200 acres with beef, goats, chickens, ducks two blue heelers and a great pyrenees. He finds the dogs playing with the bones predators that come around.