Need help ID-ing chicken killer (graphic)

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JohnL57

JohnL57

Member
Jul 29, 2015
2,137
423
California, United States
Hi, all,
Got a very upset call from my neighbor this am, something got into her chicken pen and killed two birds as well as maimed two more. Unfortunately, she raked the ground afterwards obliterating any footprints! Whatever it was seems to have clawed through 1/4" hardware cloth but was small enough to fit through the chain link fencing on the door. Here's the entry point as far I can tell.

The varmint chewed the wings and heads off the birds but didn't really eat much-

I'd really appreciate some help with this-we live in California's Central coast area. I know we have coyotes, coons, possums, bobcats, small weasels and rarely gray foxes.
 
2nd vote for Raccoons. They did the same to our chickens, and our pen looked the same way, especially all the feathers pulled into the corner. They tore back the chicken wire and grabbed the hens through the welded wire panels. Same thing, they tore off wings and bit off heads, and evicerated some. They get them riled up and grab them as they run into the corner, then pull them apart through the wire.

I have had them reach through wire and skin rabbits too. They are clever and destructive.
 
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Honey Badger.

Set a game camera up. If it is racoon, be most mindful of any poop bits. About 99% carry a terrible worm, the eggs have 4 layers so chemicals (even bases like bleach) wont make safe the area. Only fire. So if you do wack one I'd have a tarp set up near the coop entrance as we all know what an animal does when it looses all motor control...
 
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+1 Racoon. You know you can eat those. Just be careful when you clean him. They are quite tasty, a lot like squirrel, but bigger. Mind you that bit about worms is true but your dog can also be a carrier of that worm, and trust me, when a dog finds racoon poo he eats it ... so ... There is that. My dratted female shep stopped at a pile of coon poo this afternoon while I was walking her and when she went to eat it I jerked her chain. Later in the evening after dark I walked her again and she ambled over to it and I did not realize what she was doing. Yep... So now I am VERY AFRAID... :) Seriously though, there might be a lot of those worms around but I doubt that there are anymore in the wild today than there were years ago when every dog ran free and came home to lick Billy Bobs face. Hmmm, that might explain why Billy Bob was so weird. :)

Did I mention you can eat those? If they are killing your chickens, kill them back and eat them. Just be careful cleaning them.
 
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I am not an expert, but I have had some experience with two of the animals on your local critters list. Had two pet raccoons and one opossum growing up. Both could squeeze through the chain link fence when they were not quite full grown. The opossum could also climb over it at about 4ft high. At medium size, either would still have been able to corner and kill a chicken. Another of my pets was a skunk. I never observed him going through the chain link fence, but I bet he could have even as an adult. His head was more slender as I recall. In my opinion, all three were strong enough to have chewed through the secondary 1/4 inch hardware your neighbor used.

Side note......Never adopt a male raccoon. They are very aggressive as adults.

Our present neighbor has lost a few chickens to the local Red-Shouldered Hawk. He also stole a squirrel from my backyard cull a couple years ago. Here he is



 
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; Put a foot hold trap over what's left of the chicken.
inside the cage.(So you don't catch a dog) with any luck
tomorrow you will know what did it. Good luck.
Click to expand...
I considered that but don't own any traps. Another neighbor with more experience suggested a coyote due to the shredded wire. He figured multiple coyotes spooked the bids and one grabbed and ripped whatever he could reach as they ran past the hole. Seems like sitting up with a firearm and flashlight would do it, but it's not my birds and while I'm happy to pop their ground squirrels I'm not willing to sit up all night for a coyote.
 
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yotes would try to dig under the fence, so would a fox its a coon or possum. get a pet safe coon trap ( it is basically a pipe with a spring foot catch inside and put some cat or dog food in it I think they cost 10 15 dollars) Once coons find a food source they will come back until stopped.

Tell your neighbor to call animal control, or fish and wildlife, They many times will set or loan traps.
 
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