What predator poops after a kill? (graphic photos)

[wild chick]

The only predator I've ever had is a bobcat and we haven't had a kill for over 2 years since putting up electric fence outside the 2 x 4" field wire paddock. This morning I have a partially eaten chicken in the run and a pile of poop in the coop. Some of the ends of toes were eaten, which I think is strange, and the feathers were pulled in small clumps to get to the meat. I live in high desert forest of southern NM, possibilities are fox, skunk, weasel or bobcat. Anything that can get past the electric wire could easily get in the chicken pen, but because of the poop it left it was definately not a hawk or owl. I would think fox or bobcat would have taken the carcass when it left? There were no drag marks from the coop to the pen so I think this hen was the last to go in last night or the first out this morning? The carcass was cold but not frozen and it was 20F this morning. Golf ball for size reference on the poop. I will go back out now to see if I can make out prints in the sand and pick through the poop for fur, but from just looking at it, it looks like dog poop. I'll also look closer at the carcass, as people here say weasel family critters take the heads? Ideas anyone?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Closest thing I can come up with is Feral Cat. Cats will do poop markers as a territorial claim.

The faint track next to the poop also looks Feline.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[wild chick]

Closest thing I can come up with is Feral Cat. Cats will do poop markers as a territorial claim.

The faint track next to the poop also looks Feline

Thank you for your input! I saw that track when I looked at the photos on the computer. I went down to the pen & found more and used a measuring device rather than a golf ball. Ground is frozen hard but sand around the wall held good ones! The back foot is looking like raccoon but we don't have raccoons here, but do have coatimundi. Also the head is gone up to the comb. I'll be setting up my critter cam and chickens will be on lockdown.
Thanks again.

 

[wild chick]

Just found a news article from 2018 and it states that coati's do kill chickens and also they are a protected species in this state. From the tracks I found I'm pretty sure that's what it is. Hmph.


"The coatimundi was captured by Tyler Sladen in Corrales over the weekend. Sladen, who works for Pest Command Center, tells News 13 he was called to catch it after it killed a homeowner’s chickens and ducks.

Game and Fish says the animal will be returned to his native habitat in southern New Mexico, where they say he’ll be much happier.

Coatimundis, which are a protected species in New Mexico, are found mostly in Hidalgo, Grant, Catron and Luna counties."

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you for your input! I saw that track when I looked at the photos on the computer. I went down to the pen & found more and used a measuring device rather than a golf ball. Ground is frozen hard but sand around the wall held good ones! The back foot is looking like raccoon but we don't have raccoons here, but do have coatimundi. Also the head is gone up to the comb. I'll be setting up my critter cam and chickens will be on lockdown.
Thanks again.

Okay, interesting, the tracks look similar to raccoon now, though you stated you don't have those.

 

[wild chick]

the tracks look similar to raccoon now, though you stated you don't have those.

The Coati is the same family. This is a high elevation, arid forest, trees mixed with cactus, very little water. Our creek use to run 6 months out of the year, but this year it only ran 3 times, only for 2 or 3 days due to no rain and so far no snow. Close to creeks I've seen the Coaties but miles from where I live. If it comes back and I get it on the critter cam I'll post it here. The 5 toes is another giveaway on the track.

 

[Seaslug]

Have you figured out how the coatimundi would get past the electric fence?

 

[wild chick]

Have you figured out how the coatimundi would get past the electric fence?

No, not really. There are 5 strands of electric on the outside of the 2 x 4 inch field fencing, bottom one is about 4" from the ground and then the others above are about 8" apart and all are about 3" out from the field wire. Tried to take care of a critter going under the bottom one or climbing over. Also the top wire is higher than the top of the fence so to go over the critter would have to put weigh on the top hot wire.

Not fool proof, but best we could do. Bobcat got in it twice and hasn't been back for a couple of years. I've never seen a coati at our home, but I know they are common here. Nothing on the critter cam yet, set a trap and nothing has eaten the bait. When the bobcat came it only came about ever 3 or 4 weeks, about the time I let my guard down. Maybe this is going to be the same.

 

[Seaslug]

My knowledge of them is somewhat limited, there is nothing that they could climb up and drop over the fence? I do not ever want one of my chickens to lose its life to a predator, but wild animals are incredibly smart. People here often say that black bear make loops of their territory, often every 2 to 3 weeks, so you may be right. Good luck.