Woodchuck? Predator for eggs and chickens?

I had my trusty pocket pistol with me, while doing some work around my poroperty, and a fat woodchuck comes ambling out of the weeds from the direction of the Chicken tractors. At ten feet he was no match for the little cb caps from the small auto. Down in 2, home in 1.

Since this critters demise, things around the coops have settled considerably. Do 12 pound wood chucks threaten a flock, or are they just after the corn and pellet feeds?

PS. last year, 1 possum of middle development, 3 Raccons of various size, and 1 Chuck, have been removed. 2 roaming dogs and atleast one Coyote have been targeted, but no shots or joy there, they are wary.

 

The Coyotes have learned I have a long rifle .22. They dont get very far into range. I am not rural enough to blast away, so everything has to be calculated for colateral damage. It is about 500 ft to the tree line, that ends my property, and another 450 or so to the next house on the road over and behind me, not really enough range. The Coyotes ramble through the tree and bush infested fenclines between at will.

The Woodchuck was taken out because of the burrows in my other outbuilding upsetting a stack of steel shelving I bought for scrap. It is tipped and fairly scattered because of the tunneling. There is no food there. Skunks and Possum harbor there trying to pick off the trash.

Late yesterday night, the dog went off, and I fairly cought a Possum raiding the cat food outside. He is no more..