What killed them?

[NewHopePoultry]

Something last night got in and killed 3 ducks and hurt a 4th. I have pictures of them, but I dont know if I can post them on here or not.
One of the birds is missing the head and most of its body. One is just missing his eyes and one there is nothing left, but bones and some feathers. The crop and breast is torn and chewed and the entrails eaten.

 

[alex]

well, i'm not sure where you live. but, if you live by a forest it could possevly be a coyote, but, if you live around a city place i think a racoon could only do this kind of work. I'm really sorry about what happend...

-alex

 

[NewHopePoultry]

I live in the conutry, but I;m not sure if it could of been a coyote, many around here have dogs trained to kill them, and there hasn't been one seen around here for years. But thanks

 

[strangewierding]

My girlfriend just had something similar to this happen with her Chickens. One was found dead with no eyes and a hole in it's head, another with no bones in its body, and a third alive, but once more with no eyes. Sounds like something out of a horror movie if you ask me.

 

[sdeneen2001]

Sounds like a coon - coyotes usually take their chicken "to go" leaving little more than a patch of feathers
Sorry
D

 

[NewHopePoultry]

I ahve pictures if any one is brave enough to look.

I've lost 1 more and one is hurt real bad.My dog had one, but she has never gotten into the pen before, so I think something else got them out.
I feel so bad that I keep losing so many. I only have 3 left out of 8.


I think it was coons.

 

[BeckyLa]

Look around the run and coop to see where the preditor got in, the size of the hole could be a clue. Also, check the outside and inside for track and any other signs, fur on the fence for example, that might tell you what it was. Sounds like a coon or dog to me. But see what evidence you can find.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Theres no fur or anything around the run, just blood inside the house. I'm pretty sure its a coon. I dont see a hole or anything in the fence.

 

[alaskan_crew]

Well, being in Alaska our predators are not as common as those of you in the lower 48's. (which is what we refer to all of you outside of AK and HI).
But, I recently suffered a loss of my small "flock" (3 Golden Comets). I had begun free ranging my girls on my acre in the "suburbs" and had always supervised the free range sessions (more like babysitting). One day, for only 10 unsupervised minutes, they were all killed (murdered). I noticed from my window that 1 girl was laying down in the yard and I called for my kids to help me investigate. By the time we all got to that area she was gone but we discovered her other 2 roomates were killed. We found the 3rd in a neighbors yard and the evidence all pointed to the same type of killer. They were not eaten but slashed and like degutted.

We think that the predator will return to their source of food and are guarding the relacements. So, ruling out wildlife, our predator is someone's unsupervised pet and you can bet that they will return. Think of installing a low wire electrified type of fencing, that is our next step of "insurance" for our girls. I cross my fingers every morning I check on my new girls, and sadly I'm afraid to let them free range. Good luck and keep a tight observation of pets and nearby threats.!

 

[NewHopePoultry]

I dont think it was someones pet,I'm thinking it was a coon.