Sad and angry. What did this? (Photos, not too gruesome)

[One Lucky Momma]

My young homesteading neighbors announced they were going on a week-long road trip. The plan for their free-ranging flock of 15 five month old chickens and 4 half grown ducks was to “put out lots of food and let them fend for themselves”. They accepted my offer to check on the birds and feed/water twice daily. They didn’t have time to do a walk through with me, but assured me “everything is all right there”.

I knew from a distance their coop/run set-up was probably marginal but didn’t realize until I was in it just how precarious a situation these animals are in. They have no protection whatsoever from any kind of predator, and we have them all. I’m amazed they haven’t lost birds before now. And now they have.

Tuesday night, whatever it was took a half grown Pekin duck and consumed it on the spot, inside the run, leaving only the intestines and feathers. I was just sick. And pissed. At the owners.

The night visitor skipped Wednesday, but came back last night and helped itself to a hen, consuming it cleanly there in the run, leaving only the gizzard.

Does anyone have thoughts on what animal is doing this? It could have very easily taken more, but it didn’t (saving for later, I am sure) and apparently it felt comfortable taking its time to consume the victim right on the spot. We live out in the middle of nowhere and have every potential predator on the list. I didn’t hear any ruckus in the night, and I’m near enough. None of dogs barked despite generally being very vigilant

I’m going to put a tarp over the roof today to hopefully help dry things out a bit (Sally just came through and the coop roof is a sieve) but I’m not going to rebuild the coop and run. Text back from the owners apologize for “the trouble” (now there’s some consolation for the two nights’ victims) and assure me they’re going to build a new coop as soon as they get home. I fully expect to loose more birds in the meantime. And now I’m on pins and needles about a predator who knows there’s some good stuff for easy picking right here in the neighborhood. Our set-up is a cross between Alcatraz and Fort Knox, but I still hate the idea that something has started.

Your thoughts and opinions regarding what we could be dealing with are much appreciated.

 

[M-H-Fielding]

That looks a lot like the work of a dog or coyote to me. I have had experience with my animals being killed by coyotes.

 

[Matejka]

Dog

 

[aart]

Hard to say what did it.....unless you find the opening for access to the run and it's left some fur behind.
Doesn't really matter what anyway, run needs to be made secure.
Bummer you had to face the consequences of their shortcomings.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

Dog!?! Probably my last suspect. But there is a stray roaming. And we do have coyotes. Thanks. I’ll see what we see in the morning.

I’m hoping for the best and over some of my anger. Husband and I agree the neighbors need a mentor, not another critic.

 

[Sally PB]

I’m hoping for the best and over some of my anger. Husband and I agree the neighbors need a mentor, not another critic.

Yes, they need help. If you are up for the "mentor" job, bless your heart. If they don't take their losses seriously, they probably aren't taking homesteading seriously either. I just feel badly for the birds.

 

[cmom]

Everything would only be a guess. If you have a game camera, put it up. Whatever it is, has probably been lurking looking for an opportunity or possibly just happened by chance but whatever the predator will be back and then you will know what is lurking and probably lurking around your property too. I love my cameras. Good luck...

 

[Weeg]

This may be a stretch, but how many birds do they have? Is it possible you could put them in dog kennels or a dog pen in a garage or house, nearby so they down get eaten until theowners get back? Even if you just took a fence panel, a chunk of wood, or even a couple palettes, and blocked off a corner of a garage or shed, it would keep the safe until the owner got home. Sorry you have to be dealing with this. Predator wise, eating it in the run points directly to coyotes. We have dealt with every predator attack in the books, and a coyote would eat it then and there. This probably sucks for you, I am sorry, Avery

 

[Matejka]

This may be a stretch, but how many birds do they have? Is it possible you could put them in dog kennels or a dog pen in a garage or house, nearby so they down get eaten until theowners get back? Even if you just took a fence panel, a chunk of wood, or even a couple palettes, and blocked off a corner of a garage or shed, it would keep the safe until the owner got home. Sorry you have to be dealing with this. Predator wise, eating it in the run points directly to coyotes. We have dealt with every predator attack in the books, and a coyote would eat it then and there. This probably sucks for you, I am sorry, Avery

OP stated My young homesteading neighbors announced they were going on a week-long road trip. The plan for their free-ranging flock of 15 five month old chickens and 4 half grown ducks

I'm not sure what/how to deal with this. Garage might work-for a week?

 

[Kaiori]

I had a small duck killed and the gizzard was ripped out and thrown aside just like that. Also happened middle of the night. It was an owl. Caught it attacking again the next night. The remains were a mangled mess, left behind, but the area was loosely covered by netting so the owl couldn't have really flown off with it (it squeezed through a gap in the edge of the netting). Could it have been an owl that got it? Ripped it up and then decided to fly off with the rest of it?