Thoughts on what predator killed my chicken? Graphic photos

[2 many chickens]

I lost two chickens in a two day span. The first was in my bantam coop, the predator was able to breach the pen and steal a silkie. Feathers everywhere. No traces of blood or her body. Second day, predator went in another pen and dragged a bird halfway out. Her neck feathers were gone and her side eaten. Predator tried to pull her under fence but left her halfway in pen and halfway out. Birds are all now on lockdown until I can fortify their coops/catch predator. I am thinking this is a raccoon? What do you think?

Graphic photos below

 

[2 many chickens]

I will add the pen has a netting overtop so I'm pretty sure the deaths are not from hawks, eagles, or owls.

 

[chickenmomma912]

oh no!! I am so sorry this happened! Terrible. Where was the pen breached?

 

[2 many chickens]

Got it

 

[2 many chickens]

More traps to set tonight

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

What did you do with that raccoon?

 

[2 many chickens]

What did you do with that raccoon?

Let him go at my other property. No livestock there for him to eat. Many would say to kill it, but I'm not one of those people.

 

[cmom]

We are rural on a dead end road. There have been people who have released their catches in my area. I have dispatched a few over the years. Once someone dropped off a baby goose in my driveway. I hope your other property is in an area where the predator can't invade someone else's property nearby.

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

Sorry for your loss! Isn't it ironic how sweet and cute it looks through the cage, with an expression that "looks" as if it's asking for compassion, yet it can be so violent with our chickens. I respect the order of nature and go with what it gives us most of the time. I just don't always understand all of it lol. Glad you caught and released if possible.

 

[woodmort]

I hope it's a couple of miles away or it will be back. I'm of the opinion that it is less cruel to dispatch them than turn them lose in unfamiliar territory or where they will be someone else's problem. There isn't much chance of our running out of raccoons.