What is this predator?

[Cluckysnap123]

Ok so now I only have 9 hens and 5 roos because after I caught and released the fisher (I took it a good 10 miles away) something that is NOT a fisher took out some of my roos. Hardly any feathers and the heads are missing and the bodies are kind of hollowed (the meat inside missing) and bites are on the stomach and I have no clue what is going on. I am an animal rights activist and I rescue so this deeply troubles me.

 

[chicknmania]

Here, if it eats the innards and not the meat, it's a mink or weasel. Since you have fisher cats, I'm guessing you live in an area that supports a lot of mink too. The way you describe it sounds like they are eating the stomach and other organs, as well as meat in that area,, and not the back, leg, or wing meat? You might try a game camera. Make sure that you burn or dispose of any dead chickens far away from where your remaining ones are living, otherwise, the carcasses (obviously)will attract more predators.

 

[REDNECK TRAPPER]

Coon. Trap it with some foot hold traps and then shoot it in the head with a .22 and then skin and tan the fur. The meat is pretty good also.

 

[REDNECK TRAPPER]

Shouldn't have released the fisher because it will become another persons problem. All poultry killers must be killed, and you can skin the fisher for the fur. Their pelts are a Good price.

 

[chicknmania]

RT, the OP states she/he is an activist and a rescuer, so I'm pretty sure the OP enjoys the wildlife. I'm pretty sure the OP knows just as much about wildlife as you do, if not more. And I'm pretty sure your wise comments/suggestions are hurtful.

Your opinions are exactly that....opinions. We have released coons and possums on our own property...way less than ten miles... and had them never come back. Ten miles as a release is fine, and you have no idea if it will become another person's problem, or not since you don't know where the animal was released to begin with.

Agreed, if it's a coon, the best option is probably to live trap and HUMANELY destroy it, as they are difficult to discourage from coming back, but it can be done.

On looking at the original post, I see nothing in which the OP asks if something was done wrong, OR what should be done. The question was simply "what kind of predator could this be?"

Seems to me there's an awful lot of unsolicited advice in the predator section.

 

[oegbantamsftw]

Dispatch with air-soft (not pellet or bb gun they can cause more serious injury), cold water, and eye irritants
This what happens when wildlife adapts to living near humans to be fair they were probably their first and just trying to claim back there lost territory. This fact makes me dissapointed in me and of other humans.
Fencing is your best defense along with surveiling so many close calls with my poor birds and I live in the city where there isn't that many predators.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It generally is against the law to release any wild animal anywhere but at the same location at which it was trapped. Relocating wild animals willy nilly is as cruel as, if not more cruel than catching them in a steel trap and then quickly dispatching them, because a slow death is almost the universal fate of all armature relocated wildlife. Especially if it fails to quickly find its way back to its home range. Think of relocated wild life like you are seeing one of those tragic fly covered infant war refugees on TV.

edited by staff

 

[boskelli1571]

RT, the OP states she/he is an activist and a rescuer, so I'm pretty sure the OP enjoys the wildlife. I'm pretty sure the OP knows just as much about wildlife as you do, if not more. And I'm pretty sure your wise comments/suggestions are hurtful.

Your opinions are exactly that....opinions. We have released coons and possums on our own property...way less than ten miles... and had them never come back. Ten miles as a release is fine, and you have no idea if it will become another person's problem, or not since you don't know where the animal was released to begin with.

Agreed, if it's a coon, the best option is probably to live trap and HUMANELY destroy it, as they are difficult to discourage from coming back, but it can be done.

On looking at the original post, I see nothing in which the OP asks if something was done wrong, OR what should be done. The question was simply "what kind of predator could this be?"

Seems to me there's an awful lot of unsolicited advice in the predator section.

Hi there,
It's refreshing to hear from someone who doesn't advocate 'shoot it, kill it' philosophy. I had an eyeball to eyeball meeting with a possum in the barn last night. I was worried it would kill/harm the birds, but it hadn't touched them. I locked up the birds and told the possum to move along. Went back with a gun later possum was gone. Just as well, I don't think I could have shot it unless it harmed the birds.........

 

[chicknmania]

There are ways and means of discouraging wildlife. And we go to extreme lengths to do just that. And are usually successful. There are some predators who will not be discouraged, and then you have to look at more extreme means, but we have found that if we are diligent, we can get them to leave . And SOME leave after just one encounter with a flock of screaming chickens and peafowl, hahaha.

The predators look at poultry as food. Period. People are supposed to be smart enough to outsmart animals, without resorting to violence

If you want to trap, go right ahead. No one can stop you, because even if they DID enforce anti-trapping laws, (which will never happen anyway), most "trappers" would ignore the laws imo.

People are put on this Earth to care for everything else on it. And that's why they were given the brains to do so.

Imo, the OP just wanted to know what kind of predator, to better figure out how to deal with it. It is important to be able to figure out what type of predator you are dealing with, if you need to. How the OP deals with it is their business. I do agree that re-locating is not humane in most instances. But in most instances, you don't need to.

edited by staff

 

[littleoak]

The original question was what type of predator. I have only had this damage from possums. They seem to go for the internal organs and intestines. Usually it will be a young one doing this. the older ones won't take the effort of catching the chicken. A live trap will prove me right.