What killed our guinea fowl?

[old biddy]

I am caretaker for a neighbor's farm and I feed their three free ranging adult guinea fowl, their penned up keets, chickens and a stray kitten who took up residence. Today when I went to the farm to feed the animals I saw one of the adult guinea fowl laying dead near the pen where we keep the keets. Feathers and intestines were pulled out and the neck, breast and organs had been eaten. I know where it roosted at night which was on the other side of the farm, so I am thinking it was killed at dawn or dusk or in the daytime. I have read that a fox will carry their prey off to their den or a secure place to eat it, so I don't think it was a fox (since it was laying out in the open near the keet pen where the adult guineas usually hang out during the day.) Any insight into what may have killed the guinea fowl?

 

[sourland]

Were feathers scattered around the body ? Sounds pretty much like a raptor attack to me. Whatever it was, it will be back.

 

[old biddy]

Thanks for responding, Sourland. Yes, feathers were scattered around the body - all within a 10 x 10 foot area. I know we have eagles, hawks and owls in the area.

 

[red horse ranch]

I had a feral cat attack and partially eat on of my guinea hens. What you describe sounds a lot like what I found when my guinea was killed.

 

[old biddy]

I had a feral cat attack and partially eat on of my guinea hens. What you describe sounds a lot like what I found when my guinea was killed.

Was it a large cat? I had thought the guineas were pretty big for a regular cat but I guess if a cat is hungry it will go for whatever it can. I do remember a stray cat years ago started hanging around my hen house...at first it seemed friendly enough around the chickens, but then I observed it starting to stalk and chase after some of my hens. I subsequently "relocated" Mr. Fluffy Butt to an area with a stream and farmland in a neighboring county. I wished him well. So, now wondering if it was a feral cat or a raptor.

 

[red horse ranch]

Was it a large cat? I had thought the guineas were pretty big for a regular cat but I guess if a cat is hungry it will go for whatever it can. I do remember a stray cat years ago started hanging around my hen house...at first it seemed friendly enough around the chickens, but then I observed it starting to stalk and chase after some of my hens. I subsequently "relocated" Mr. Fluffy Butt to an area with a stream and farmland in a neighboring county. I wished him well. So, now wondering if it was a feral cat or a raptor.

I don't know how big the feral cat was that killed my guinea hen since it happened during the night. But a guinea hen will only weigh about 3 lbs. A male will weigh around 4 lbs. So it wouldn't be that hard for a large feral cat to take a guinea. We recently took out a large feral tom cat that easily weighed over 5 lbs. Maybe more. Since guineas can fly they probably don't get caught by cats very often thru the day. It's possible the guinea spent the night next to the keet pen and was taken during the night. It's hard to know for sure what happened to your guinea. All we can do is speculate about the evidence that was left.....

 

[Chickenlover0810]

possum

 

[Miss Lydia]

Setting up a game camera can tell us a lot. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[woodmort]

Guineas on a roost are prime targets for raptors, hawks during daylight, owls at night. I've lost a number like that.

 

[mkeawsh]

possum

Not likely.