What am I looking for?

[MinniesMomma]

Sorry for the long post here, but I want to provide a little bit of background. On Thursday our ranch manager found my two puppies chewing on one of my hens, who was dead. Today a full grown hen and a three-month-old pullet went missing. The dogs have not been allowed outside without supervision since Thursday. I have lost a few chickens over the last month or two, and I understand that wildlife needs to eat too, but this is getting to be too much. I'm going to keep my hens in the run for a while until I can kill whatever it is that is hunting them. Other than Thursday, I am not finding any feathers or bodies, the girls are just gone. What sort of predator do you think I am looking for? The possibilities are coyotes, raccoons, hawks, buzzards, chicken snakes (though I think it is too cold for them right now) and owls. Maybe a bobcat, but we have never seen one over here by the house. I don't have a game camera at the moment, but I'm going to look into them when I go to town tomorrow. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Coyote, domestic dogs, bobcat, anything large will not leave a trace. Hawks might leave feathers at the scene but then again they might not. Are you losing them during the day or at night?

 

[MinniesMomma]

Coyote, domestic dogs, bobcat, anything large will not leave a trace. Hawks might leave feathers at the scene but then again they might not. Are you losing them during the day or at night?

Only during the day. Pretty certain it's not domestic dogs, because our nearest neighbor is about a mile away and they don't have dogs but it could be any of the others.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Only during the day. Pretty certain it's not domestic dogs, because our nearest neighbor is about a mile away and they don't have dogs but it could be any of the others.

Yeah it could be any of the others. If you have a trail cam I’d set one up or a live trap big enough for a coyote.

 

[MinniesMomma]

Yeah it could be any of the others. If you have a trail cam I’d set one up or a live trap big enough for a coyote.

We have hog traps, but I'm guessing that would be too big?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

We have hog traps, but I'm guessing that would be too big?

Actually no. A coyote would set it off like a hog would. Pressure plate?

 

[MinniesMomma]

Actually no. A coyote would set it off like a hog would. Pressure plate?

It's been a little while since we have used them, but I believe they do have pressure plates...

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

It's been a little while since we have used them, but I believe they do have pressure plates...

Then it will go off for a coyote. Good luck.

 

[llombardo]

If it is a coyote, kerp an eye on the puppies(I'm assuming they are small still if puppies)

 

[MinniesMomma]

Then it will go off for a coyote. Good luck.

Thanks for your help!