What predator would pile up dead chickens?

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Seaslug said:
And they do not kill for sport. Or fun. Or trophies. They stockpile for food. When it comes to kill or be killed, only humans can risk killing for sport. Those animals that are lucky enough to expend energy on activities not critical to survival get to enjoy some fun.

Don't know if it strikes anyone else as interesting that so many humans have no problem assigning the motivation of "sport" or "spite" to non-human animals but the thread on chickens feeling love or affection is chalked up to anthropomorphism.
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I have had multiple mass slaughters of my flock due to racoons. They 100% kill for fun and do mass slaughters. Every other predator I've had only kills one or two birds and immediately takes the body elsewhere. Meanwhile, racoons kill all my birds and just leaves them there. Not a single head or body taken. I heard the last mass slaughter (didn't realize until the morning what happened) and my chickens did not put up a fight at all so it was not for self defense.
 
3 chickens found in a pile were likely carried and dropped by whatever carried them outside.A mink or weasel can't carry 7 young chickens and 4 ground ducks off.It sounds like you have a pair of foxes feeding kits
 
If you had to kill or forage for all your food and you found a bunch of protein that did not fight back, wouldn't you take advantage of it? While it was there, available to you? Does it not make more sense to kill it so it can not get away and leave the body (come back for it later) than it does to let it live and for it to possibly not be there when you come back?
Do you grocery shop for fun? I do not. But I purchase more than I am going to eat in one meal, because I have the opportunity to do so.
 
FarmerGirl101 said:
I have had multiple mass slaughters of my flock due to racoons. They 100% kill for fun and do mass slaughters. Every other predator I've had only kills one or two birds and immediately takes the body elsewhere. Meanwhile, racoons kill all my birds and just leaves them there. Not a single head or body taken. I heard the last mass slaughter (didn't realize until the morning what happened) and my chickens did not put up a fight at all so it was not for self defense.
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They were likely teaching their young to hunt if nothing was ate.
I recommend hw cloth wire and an apron to protect your birds at NIGHT. I've lost 2 birds free ranging during the day none at night
 
McChooky said:
They were likely teaching their young to hunt if nothing was ate.
I recommend hw cloth wire and an apron to protect your birds at NIGHT. I've lost 2 birds free ranging during the day none at night
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Neither one of them was during the time they have young so that wasn't it. I had seen that particular racoon around before. Yes, our coop is well protected. They were free ranging and I forgot to close the run door two nights in a row. I've got an automatic coop door now so no issues.
 
Seaslug said:
If you had to kill or forage for all your food and you found a bunch of protein that did not fight back, wouldn't you take advantage of it? While it was there, available to you? Does it not make more sense to kill it so it can not get away and leave the body (come back for it later) than it does to let it live and for it to possibly not be there when you come back?
Do you grocery shop for fun? I do not. But I purchase more than I am going to eat in one meal, because I have the opportunity to do so.
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Killing a few birds and taking them is valid to stockpile their food particularly when an animal has young. However, one singular racoon can't eat +15 large chickens before they go rancid in the summer heat. Racoons are also animals that don't tend to stockpile food particularly as they are not a true hibernating species.
 
FarmerGirl101 said:
Killing a few birds and taking them is valid to stockpile their food particularly when an animal has young. However, one singular racoon can't eat +15 large chickens before they go rancid in the summer heat. Racoons are also animals that don't tend to stockpile food particularly as they are not a true hibernating species.
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The 7 chickens were only 2 months old so they weren't grown but the ducks were. I agree raccoons don't stockpile food
 
FarmerGirl101 said:
Neither one of them was during the time they have young so that wasn't it. I had seen that particular racoon around before. Yes, our coop is well protected. They were free ranging and I forgot to close the run door two nights in a row. I've got an automatic coop door now so no issues.
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There's a mountain behind us that's straight up and down.Close to the house(less than 15 ft) Its full of critters.My chickens have always free ranged between noon and an hr before dark sometimes just an hour or two depending on what time of the year it is and the weather
 

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