Just today as I was walking in the turkey run, I noticed that some large-medium size animal had managed to get into my turkey coop and had left a little present. Although no birds were taken, which I am extremely grateful for, this... thing managed to get inside, even though I searched the run/coop from top to bottom looking for an entrance point. I couldn't find any sort of sizable opening, especially one big enough for whatever left the scat. I honestly have no clue what it was or where it came from. All I know is that some animal left scat, about the size of what a medium/largish dog would leave. It was filled with what looked to be tiny seeds (although looking back, perhaps they were fresh fly larvae?). It was, as I mentioned, similar in shape and composition to what a dog would leave, but there's no dogs on the property, and I couldn't find any entrance points.
The turkeys always sleep in the branches in a tall crab apple tree inside the run. As an added note, about a month ago, my large (and non-flying) turkey hen Caly was caught by something that had managed to break a hole in the wire and chase her down. I found her half-eaten body near a place in the wire where something fairly big (perhaps a fox) managed to push the wire up and break through. After that, I put bricks and cinder blocks in all the places that any critter could get through. I never figured out what that first predator was; perhaps it came back?
Whatever broke into my coop, I want to ID it, figure out how it got in and out without leaving a trace of entering, and get rid of it. Does anyone know of what this critter is, or where I can find some good guides for scat comparison?
UPDATE: Just this morning, I went into the run to find that this still-unknown critter had once again broken in and out without leaving a trace of how/where it entered. This time, however, it managed to get my last young poult, Marie. I found a bloody clump of feathers and some more fly egg/seed infested scat near the attack site. STILL NO SIGN of how this horrid beastie go in. I'm going to set a large trap, but I am still just as clueless about this critter.
The turkeys always sleep in the branches in a tall crab apple tree inside the run. As an added note, about a month ago, my large (and non-flying) turkey hen Caly was caught by something that had managed to break a hole in the wire and chase her down. I found her half-eaten body near a place in the wire where something fairly big (perhaps a fox) managed to push the wire up and break through. After that, I put bricks and cinder blocks in all the places that any critter could get through. I never figured out what that first predator was; perhaps it came back?
Whatever broke into my coop, I want to ID it, figure out how it got in and out without leaving a trace of entering, and get rid of it. Does anyone know of what this critter is, or where I can find some good guides for scat comparison?
UPDATE: Just this morning, I went into the run to find that this still-unknown critter had once again broken in and out without leaving a trace of how/where it entered. This time, however, it managed to get my last young poult, Marie. I found a bloody clump of feathers and some more fly egg/seed infested scat near the attack site. STILL NO SIGN of how this horrid beastie go in. I'm going to set a large trap, but I am still just as clueless about this critter.
Last edited:
