Raccoons or Foxes?

[turducken]

We have had the unfortunate experience with dealing with problem raccoons. I have noticed that when the raccoons would attack our birds they would bite the head off and pull feathers out. We have “retired” six raccoons now and I know others will usually move in. However we have recently lost a few older chickens. But this time the entire chicken is gone, not like we have seen with the raccoon attacks. I was wondering if this could be the work of a problem fox. Has anyone else noticed a difference with different predators or this just the work of a more experienced raccoon?

 

[Southernbelle]

We have a wily fox come around and sometimes it would take the whole bird and I'd find nothing at all or just a few feathers. Other times it would come and kill right there - it would bite the head off, consume the neck and leave the rest. Feathers would be everywhere. If I left the carcass, it would come back the next night and drag it off.

I'm certain our problem predator was a fox because we bought a wildlife camera and caught pictures of it hanging around every night between midnight and 4am. Yesterday the Game warden told me I could use a leg hold trap and trap and shoot on my own property without penalty.

Good luck!

 

[jwoodall]

Racoons are THE worst predator!!! We thought a fox was getting a friends chickens, no possibly way racoon could get in the coup. Plus we 've been seeing a fox try to take the ducks. Couldn't find a hole anywhere. BUt every day their would be feathers everywhere and another chicken gone. I lent her my deer camera and we staged it inside with a chicken carcus left over from dinner tied to a rope and sure enough caught on tape!

Good Luck!

 

[turducken]

Good to know thanks for the info.

 

[77horses]

personally, we have never had problems with foxes or raccoons. We do have hawks and owls around, but haven't harmed any chickens yet. But in my opinion, weasels are TERRIBLE!

They are sneaky, and all they do it kill the chicken and drink its blood. And they don't stop when they are full; usually kill all the chickens they can, then they just leave the leftovers. we had a problem with a weasel living UNDER the coop and it got 3 chickens(all of them, really, that we had. except for our two RIR roosters).

Then, he strangely disappeared.

Never saw him and it's been a little over a year now. We are still on the lookout, though. I think the hawk or owls got him...