What predator is this and how do I deter it?

[si1entshad0w]

I had something (I'm guessing opossum or raccoon) get one chicken early in September - it ate the head and guts only - but hadn't seen anything since until I was examining the chicken coop after coming back from being out of town today. There's what appears to be fresh scratch and bite marks, and the chicken fencing (behind a piece of plywood that is leaning against the fence) is bowed inward like something was pushing against it. The chickens seemed a little frazzled, and perhaps they had been pulling each others feathers out, due to whatever was trying to get in. I'm not sure what 4-legged, sharp toothed predator this is, but how do I deter it from eating more of my chickens?

 

[Trosas]

Idk it looks big though, do you have Bobcats?

I had something (I'm guessing opossum or raccoon) get one chicken early in September - it ate the head and guts only - but hadn't seen anything since until I was examining the chicken coop after coming back from being out of town today. There's what appears to be fresh scratch and bite marks, and the chicken fencing (behind a piece of plywood that is leaning against the fence) is bowed inward like something was pushing against it. The chickens seemed a little frazzled, and perhaps they had been pulling each others feathers out, due to whatever was trying to get in. I'm not sure what 4-legged, sharp toothed predator this is, but how do I deter it from eating more of my chickens?

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera put it up then you will know what you're dealing with. I have several around on my property and see a predator on one of the cameras most nights when they roam around here. Good luck...

 

[si1entshad0w]

Idk it looks big though, do you have Bobcats?

I don't think so. Maybe there could have been a rogue one in town, but I've never heard of them coming into town.

 

[si1entshad0w]

If you have a game camera put it up then you will know what you're dealing with. I have several around on my property and see a predator on one of the cameras most nights when they roam around here. Good luck...

Great idea! Thanks.

 

[cmom]

This is a good camera except for the fact it takes the tiny micro SD card. Last I checked it was still available at a great price. Here the predators roam at night.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CGMQRWP/?tag=backy-20
Last night.

Other nights on other cameras.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oooh! Scary!!! I hope you figure out what it was and how to deter it! I don't know about you, but I'd be thinking hotwired fence right about now...

 

[cmom]

I have electric wire around my coops and pens, heavy duty netting covering all of the pens, concrete under the gates and in some places along the fencing I dug a foot deep trench and buried wire and hog ringed it to the bottom of the fence. The electric wire has been good. I have seen attempts to dig under the fence but when the critter gets zapped by the wire they abandon the attempts. The bottom wire is around 4" off of the ground with the other wires spaced at around 6" to 8" apart. The wire has been up around 10 years. I did replace the fence charger once with one with a bit more of a zap.

 

[Ratchnick]

That is without a doubt a coyote.

 

[Ratchnick]

Watch out for digging, electric wire will work but if any grass or shrub touches it then it is rendered useless.