Predator??? suggestions

[BYC910]

The hole is about 2 foot long and 10 inches deep. Had a limb fall on the panel.
Covered it with 2x4 welded wire nailed to a 2x4 that ran along the edge for the roof. And wired to chain link.

The pen was a breeder pen it's in the middle of a set of pens that are 20x50 feet. Each pen is a 10x20. My run is 80x120..

Guess it could have walked on roof. But getting back out would have been a feat.

I have several spare game cams I can deploy if traps turn up with nothing.

The camera is your best bet to find out what it is . I don't think you'll catch a bobcat in a live trap .Coon possum bobcat are the most likely ones . A possum will kill one and take it with it if it's a large possum . But only one then comeback the next night or the night after . I've had them squeeze through a chain link fence and kill hens on the roost and not be able to drag the carcass through the fence . Did they are the wire off the hole ? Whatever it is it needs dead .

 

[17 chickens]

Sounds to me like it is a bob cat or could be a cougar, That is a huge hole and a cat could jump out the hole after it has made it's kill caring several chickens in its mouth. I have over 50 hens and 9 pairs of ducks in a large run with 2 coops, The run is not covered and it has pine 3 pine trees in it that are trimmed up on the bottom. The run is around 50X150 and made of chain link dog kennel panels. The chickens and ducks are locked in the coops at night when sun is going down and run is checked everyday for dig marks or any signs of animals. We have had a raccoon trying to dig under the fence once but solar motion lights scared it away. my husband and boys go out and pee around the outside of the run and that keeps things away due to human scent.

 

[feedman77]

Well in last night's trap run. I caught a coon and a possum. In leg holds.

1 Live trap was tripped nothing inside. But whatever it was moved trap over quite a bit.

Lost 1 more chicken just feathers again.

 

[Zoomie]

Wow... so sorry for your loss. It sounds like you have gotten one of the culprits but not all.

I would have guessed raccoon because I have had them rip apart some pretty stout wire and even tear siding off a barn. (Admittedly, the siding was old and only 1"X, but still...) All my worst losses in birds have been to raccoons. I hope you get them all.

 

[christwodog]

I had a feral dog pull up metal roofing which was screwed into place and gain access to the coop where my little ones were, it looked like a very large animal ripped up the roofing and tore thru the side of the coop. Found dog paw prints on the side of my big coop, so we know it was a dog/s. I never thought a dog could do that. I am sorry for your losses, game cameras are a good idea to see what's attacking your flock.

 

[Sara Ranch]

*hugs*

Would you post a picture of the hole and the entire set up?

 

[rjohns39]

feedman, so sorry for your losses. If, don't mind I'm gonna hang around until you solve this puzzle.

 

[Suzi18]

x2

 

[lazy gardener]

I've had coons carry birds off without dismembering them.

 

[DuckMom2017]

No on fox activity generally because of the abundance of coyote.

Coons were the biggest last year killed 11 coon and 9 possum. Been light this year.

Didn't find carcasses away from pen it's about a 30 yards wide fencerow that goes into miles of soybean fields that have not been cut yet.

That's the part that gets me is no body parts and it had to make multiple trips to get them out.

I set 4 live traps baited with tuna and 6 duke coon traps this evening so maybe I'll get something

Buy some oatmeal cookies and drench them in vanilla flavoring. That way you won't attract cats/dogs. Coons and possums go nuts for it though.