Predator Identification

[CluckerFamily]

Also, is the welded wire actually broke or just bent ?

Looks like only bent.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I do think a raccoon could easily bend the fencing to make a hole big enough for it to fit into.
I still think it is a raccoon.

 

[BeateO]

Update: The wire was bend, not ripped. My BF went up to the pen for awhile in the dark but didn't see anything. Today when he wanted to set the trap up, the creature had come back and pried the fence open to 3x its size and pulled one of the dead birds out. He installed now a trap inside the pen, facing the fence hole (a great tip I found online - he'll keep two traps permanently there now. One at the door) and hopes to catches something tomorrow. The pen is 50x70' so hardware cloth is not really practical on top. Eventually it needs to be electrified and all the supplies are in a bag for 2 years but the man just never got to installing it...

 

[Nigel27]

That sounds terrible, wolverine? It sounds like my bear attack but smaller scale and I busted them right away so they only got two birds. Sorry for your loss and good luck catching the culprit

 

[BeateO]

That sounds terrible, wolverine? It sounds like my bear attack but smaller scale and I busted them right away so they only got two birds. Sorry for your loss and good luck catching the culprit

I don't think we have wolverines here. They are super rare but they would be a lot more cooler to see than a coon. I'll send an update if we catch the culprit. Thanks.

 

[cmom]

Not knowing where you live. If you have a game camera then you will know for sure and make a plan. It's not always easy to catch a predator in a trap and it will keep coming back. I love my cameras. I have electric wires around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates and good heavy duty netting covering the pens, all due to losses from predators in the past. Now I think the adult predators teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. I have a very powerful fence charger and anything that touches the hot wires it will hurt for a couple of days. One night many years ago a bobcat killed 14 birds of my birds. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

Belated

 

[mowin]

I challenge anyone to go tug on that 2x4 wire and and try to pull it apart and let me know how it goes. If you can’t do it, a raccoon surely can’t.

As someone who has installed miles of this stuff over the yrs, I assure you it's not that difficult to break the welds and spread the wire apart. A large coon can definitely break the welds and enter a run. Many on here can confirm there strength and determination.

 

[hayley3]

Raccoons are strong. They peeled apart my garage door, lifting the metal part off of the frame. I had a video camera facing the door so I watched them work on it...two of them.

 

[Brooks_]

As someone who has installed miles of this stuff over the yrs, I assure you it's not that difficult to break the welds and spread the wire apart. A large coon can definitely break the welds and enter a run. Many on here can confirm there strength and determination.

Depends on the gauge I suppose. I don't know the gauge of mine (12?). I just tried and could barely put a noticeable bend in it. Tin snips can cut it (with effort) but bolt cutters are easier.