Unknown Predator.

[jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

I am posting on behalf of a friend of mine today. She had 15 chickens.

Yes, she “had“ them. According to her, Something has been coming and killing one chicken every night. The run is closed, and she says there’s no way a predator could get in the coop. However, something is happening that’s killing one chicken every night. She requested my help.

Being a hunter, I have some experience with animals, I have two trail cameras I use, and I’m going to set them up today and see if I can catch the culprit.

Based on what I’ve said, any idea what the predator could be? If you need more details, I can get them. She is down to 5 chickens now.

Thanks,

Jared

 

[jnicholes]

Here’s what happened, the raccoon has been getting in and killing the chickens, and leaving them. Two skunks have been coming in and eating what’s left.

 

[azygous]

It's an important detail whether the chickens are killed and left behind or disappearing. Those dead bodies left behind can offer clues by the mode of killing, for example, heads ripped off, bodies mangled but intact, etc.

If the coop is seemingly secure, then the predator is small and perhaps entering through uncovered vents. One time here on BYC, there was a similar post, swearing the coop was secure. No way anything could get in, but chickens were disappearing. A game camera was installed and it was found that a raccoon was gaining entry through a convoluted crack in the wall that abutted an adjacent building.

 

[jnicholes]

Dang, this was like reading a detective story or something

(The following story is an exaggeration. Imagine it in black-and-white, as a film.)

It was nighttime in Dietrich, The kind of night that reminded you that they would always be a culprit trying to go after chickens. So, Jared Nicholes, private animal investigator, popped his feet up on his desk, and looked out the window, at the chickens he has sworn to protect. It was then that trouble walked in. A neighbor of mine came into the house. She was in distress.

“Jared, I need your help. I’ve got money, see? I can pay!” She said in a trembling voice.

“Calm down. Start from the beginning. What’s going on?“ I said to her calmly. She hesitated.

“Something has been coming and eating my chickens one by one every night! I have 15, and I am now down to four. It’s been killing chickens, and leaving the carcasses behind.“ she said, sobbing.

“I’ll set up my camera tonight, and I’ll see if I can spot what’s going on. I bet you it’s the raccoon bandit. I’ve seen him in the newspaper a few times. He’s been striking a lot.”

I then proceed to leave my office, and go to the scene of the crime. There was definitely signs of a struggle. I set up my camera.

The next morning, I received a call from her. She was wondering if I could check the camera. I left my office, and walked down the street to the crime scene.

When I got to the scene of the crime, I saw the culprit. It was a skunk. She told me, “ That thing I killed my chickens!!” I quickly pulled out my piece, and dispatched the skunk.

Clean kill. I’m not one to make a sloppy kill. I then checked the camera, and discovered that there was more the story than meets the eye. It was indeed the raccoon bandit. The skunk was his accomplice.

I told her to fortify the run, and that I would be there for a stake out tonight to the catch the culprit.

That night, I was waiting until midnight. The raccoon bandit didn’t show up. I called it a night, and left.

The same thing happened the next night. However, on the third night, something interesting happened. The raccoon bandit seem to turn around. He decided not to go for the chickens anymore. There has not been a loss in that run since then.

However, what troubles me is that the raccoon bandit is still out there, somewhere.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Did she find the bodies, or just missing? Any feathers or body parts left behind? What did the murder scene look like?

 

[jnicholes]

 

[jnicholes]

The owner of the house has hired me to sleep out in a tent by the chicken coop. I’m gonna have a light out there, the first signs of the raccoon, I’m gonna take it out with a 22.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Trash pandas travel in gangs. I doubt its just the one.

 

[jnicholes]

The run, is secure. No chicken losses last night.

The raccoon must’ve showed up at a later time, it may have tried to get in, and was unsuccessful. We were out till 12:45 AM.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

The windows in my coop are covered in hardware cloth, screwed (with washers) into the frames around the windows, on the inside. One day I noticed a corner of one screen was barely, just barely, pushed out. Almost unnoticeable. Until I touched it and pulled gently, and the whole framework on that side of the window had been detached. A herd of racoons could have gotten through that hole if they wanted to.