What kinds of predators kill and then just leave it laying?

[Smartie_Pants]

We are having a problem with loosing our ducks. Its never when they are in the pen at night, but when they are out during the day. Its some kind of hawk or owl, because the only wounds on the body are small puncture wounds with very little blood. Whatever it is is killing them, and then just leaving the body laying. They are plucking off any feathers, eating any of the meat, anything.

What kills and then leaves the dead body laying? We live in Western KY, so the only bird predators we really have are hawks and owls.

 

[DTchickens]

hawks and owls kill for food as far as i know, if it were them it'd be gone or eaten a little i believe.. sounds like a puppy to me..

ETA: i say puppy because they don't "Always" pluck feathers, just chase, catch, kill. Especially if they grab around the head area.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

We have no puppies in the neighborhood, or really any dogs for that matter. We have three, all house or kept in a fully enclosed pen, and the neighbor has a daschund, and down the street they have a nonsense zuh, but that's all. We don't have any strays either.

All the puncture wounds are under the wings and around the bottom of the body; between the wings and the bottom of the chest.

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
Hmm, does kind of sound what i would expect to be a bird, but im not sure.. We've only ever had dog attacks because they were our young puppies still in training/They were neighbors dogs our's were friends with and let them kill the chickens.

 

[trueblueshowgirl]

The only thing that does that here, pretty much to that exact description, are weasels and fisher cats. I'm in Maine, though- don't know if you have those predators there in KY.

Generally birds of prey will eat at least something- the head, a leg and a wing or part of the breast.

Having raised a number of puppies, though never having seen one kill a live bird, I would think a puppy would play with the dead body- I picture there would be feathers everywhere and lots of damage. I'm having trouble imagining a puppy just cleanly killing and then leaving. ?

 

[horsejody]

I would suspect a small dog.

 

[Roy]

I would suspect a coon, coons kill just for the fun of it....

 

[ozark hen]

dog

 

[Boyd]

a dog. Coons are hoarders, they take what they can to stash it

 

[Ridgerunner]

These two links may help you determine your predator. The first is a summary chart. The second is to a thread on here that is very detailed.

Good luck on stopping whatever it is.

Oklahoma State – Clues to predators
http://osuextra.okstate.edu/pdfs/F-8204web.pdf

Clues to Predators thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18670