When will the raccoon be back? UPDATE: tracks found

[Daisy8s]

UPDATE: There was no snow on the ground when the attack occurred but conveniently it began snowing yesterday evening and continues today. I went out this morning and found clear tracks coming from the woods, walking directly to where we found the carcass, hiding under the nearby pine tree (2 ft away), and then moving on. The snow obscures the shape of the track---but I could see approximate size and spacing between. I would guess, based on what I could see, that it is either raccoon or fox or very big skunk. (Too small for coyote, too big for possum, same shape to all four feet unlike rabbit, no tail-dragging marks between tracks.)

Also, last night after full dark my dogs began barking the intruder bark and, when let outside, were looking in the place where I found the tracks today.

So, of course it is possible whatever left the tracks is a different animal than what killed the hen, but the tracks walked right there, and clearly they were left after a good 2 inches of snowfall would have obscured the scent, and we'd long since removed the carcass. If this was a human we'd say it had obviously returned to the scene of the crime! But, I am no expert on animal behavior and there could be many reasons this animal happened to be walking there--maybe stopping under the pine tree is a regular part of its nightly prowl, for example.

Therefore, I appeal to those who are wild animal behavior experts! Are the presence of these tracks helpful clues or meaningless?

Also, what about the almost surgical nature of the wounds. Only two small breast feathers lost, every other feather was intact. Is it true that some animals are more likely to tear at the carcass (e.g. fox or bird of prey) or am I misinformed?

Also, if it helps as to the question of whether a coon could have been fast enough to catch this bird...I love my ISA Browns for their eggs but they aren't clever and this particular bird was known to freeze and squat helplessly at any sign of danger. She was found right next to the pine tree the coon could have been hiding under to launch the attack.

 

[Suga Bee]

With raccoon*s they are truelly buggers. Last night around 2:30 am during a thunderstorm a coon worked his way through the door of our coop. he bit the leg clear off my amerucana and got my lady rode island red. drug her out of the coop and ate her right in front of the door and left her stripped carcass laying there. i was devastated to wake up and find this heart ripping scene. i immediately called animal control to set a trap for it. tonight just a little while ago i heard my chickens pitching a fit and low and behold he was back again trying to get in the coop again. he only comes around when its dark and raining. and as you know he completely avoided the trap with bait. once they get the taste of that blood they will stop at nothing until they destroy a whole flock and leave without even saying thank you. good grief i hate coons. more than likely i would say your attack was a possum they prey on chickens as well. some think opossums are only garbage eaters but not true. a possum is like a goat they will eat any thing when they are hungry. and like the raccoon as you all know a possum is an expert climber as well as predator. when they attack chickens they will drag the carcass off some distance before eating and with a chicken they dont eat very much of the meat because there stomachs are smaller than a coon. they have a tendency to clean the bird to the bone. i hope that little bit of info helps you. good luck to all with predator problems, Sugar Bee

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Perhaps it would be helpful if the the age, weight, size, sex, and breed of chicken is mentioned when asking advice about possible predators.

Polish or Silkies are easily caught. Other breeds are more difficult for a predator to catch.

Foxes, bobcats, and coyotes like to dine at their leisure, and they will usually carry away their kills. Coons, mink, possums, etc. usually dine in.

The largest hawk is unable to flyaway with a standard size freshly killed adult chicken. Raptors like owls and eagles however can lift greater weights, due mostly to increased wing loading, often as much as the weight of the owl itself. A Great Horned Owl's wingspan may be 5 feet between wing tips and it is truly astonishing how silently a GHO takes to the air or flies away. If possible it flies away quieter than a cloud of smoke.

There is supposed to be one instance where a GHO killed a Forest Ranger or Game Warden who was wearing a muskrat fur hat while walking down a dark game trail. I don't know if it is true or not, but I can assure you that the power in a GHOs' toes or feet is amazing.

I am unsure but i don't think that owls pluck as much down from their victims as hawks do. GHOs swallow mice whole and regurgitate a mouse sized pellet that contains the indigestible mouse fragments like bones and hair. Maybe they do the same with chicken feathers.

 

[Manningjw]

Coons have a home territory which ranges in size depending upon the availability of food. I am not positive that your pred was a coon, but whatever it was will be back, perhaps even on a daily basis. Be prepared, and good luck.

This is consistent with my experience with a raccoon.

They are VERY smart and VERY strong animals. I lost a young cockerel to a raccoon one night, chased him off before he could make a meal out of him. A few days later the raccoon came back and took my best hen in the very early dawn climbing up the side of the coop and entering into a air vent that only had bug netting on it. After that hen was taken, about 2 days following he returned every night (saw him on the camera) and he avoided the baited raccoon trap each time. My chickens were locked up and I even wired closed the air vent but the raccoon made quick work ripping the chicken wire off the coop and I caught him when he was half way into the opening. After the raccoon was dispatched I haven't had a single attack since so I know it was the same guy coming back each night.

You might want to look into "dog proof" raccoon traps to set up or you can look into Conibear traps if you don't have dogs that could potentially get killed by them.