Chicken Predator

NW Ohio Tim · Dec 17, 2012

Hey Guys,

We lost a chicken this morning. We loose a couple every year to hawks, but this one is different. I saw the feathers and went out to investigate right before noon. I saw something black running on teh opposite side of our pine wind break where the killing occured.

I just assumed it was our black barn cat clipping another sparrow, until I found more feathers and the body under a tree.

The head/neck were pretty much cleaned to the bone with no other marks on the bird. Usually hawks will tear them up wherever they can get ahold of them.

I don't think our cat killed a full grown (and mean) hen. It may have just been there as a coincedence. Or it wasn't a cat, it was gone by the time I got around the trees. Will weasles hunt in the daytime?? The first thing I thought was a fisher, but I haven't heard of them around here since I was a kid.

Any ideas??

Thanks, Tim

Paul Shuler · Dec 17, 2012

Skunk?

glennster · Dec 17, 2012

could be a weasel or mink. they will go after the head and neck area.

jackinok · Dec 17, 2012

i would think a skunk also,or something like a weasel.a skunk will kill a dozen, and only eat the brain or lick the blood off the head and leave the rest.

GordoSD · Dec 17, 2012

Could it have been real dark brown? Mink.
He will be back. Did you find where a critter dug his way in? Mink.
Weasels kill them in the pen, lick the blood. Mink carry them off.

NW Ohio Tim · Dec 17, 2012

The opening I saw it through was maybe 2 or 3 of it's steps, but it wasn't moving like a skunk. It was more fluit like a cat. Skunks kinda hop/roll when they jog.

Whatever it was wasn't really running away either..... just a fast walk.

Thanks for the answers so soon, I'm going to have to start carrying a gun with me when I'm out.

Tim

fixerupper · Dec 17, 2012

How old was the chicken. It might have dropped dead there and the cat took advantage of a free lunch. Jim

GordoSD · Dec 17, 2012

Mink rarely walk. They hop, more like a rabbit than a cat.

Rwolfejr · Dec 17, 2012

Grab a trail camera and point it at your coop? Once you identify the target might be easier to figure next step?

NW Ohio Tim · Dec 17, 2012

Our chickens run free in the daytime. We close the coop door at night. This happened along a wind break about 150 yards from the coop. It was a 2 1/2 year old chicken. But there was a puff of feathers outside the tree and then she was drug under and eaten. I don't think she died of natural causes.

Tim

Fergienewbee · Dec 17, 2012

I vote for a mink; sounds like their mode of operation.

Larry

JayinNY · Dec 17, 2012

Maybe a fisher? I dident know what was killing my hens until
I saw the perp, I had a fox get mine.

El Toro · Dec 17, 2012

We had that problem when we lived on the farm. I set a steel trap and caught a coon. My brother used my dad's 32-20 lever action and we never lost anymore chickens. Hal

dej(Jed) · Dec 17, 2012

(quoted from post at 11:20:27 12/17/12) Hey Guys,

We lost a chicken this morning. We loose a couple every year to hawks, but this one is different. I saw the feathers and went out to investigate right before noon. I saw something black running on teh opposite side of our pine wind break where the killing occured.

I just assumed it was our black barn cat clipping another sparrow, until I found more feathers and the body under a tree.

The head/neck were pretty much cleaned to the bone with no other marks on the bird. Usually hawks will tear them up wherever they can get ahold of them.

I don't think our cat killed a full grown (and mean) hen. It may have just been there as a coincedence. Or it wasn't a cat, it was gone by the time I got around the trees. Will weasles hunt in the daytime?? The first thing I thought was a fisher, but I haven't heard of them around here since I was a kid.

Any ideas??

Thanks, Tim

Could be a Fisher. They were stocked here in western, Pa about 20 years ago and they are doing great here. Could be they migrated .

ohiojim · Dec 17, 2012

i vote for the mink

JRSutton · Dec 17, 2012

Fisher cat - big, slinky, chestnut brown hair (until winter coat is in - not sure were you are)

and they love chickens.

Adirondack case guy · Dec 17, 2012

Tim,
I haven't ever seen a Fisher around here, locally, Central NY., have seen them on the North side of the Mokawk River though. However in the past month, my cousin has trapped 3 females, about 25-30# each in our sugar bush. He says that they will camp next to a carcase and defend it until it is gone, and then move on. He has also trapped 9 cyotes, one fox, several opposums, and a couple skunks. in the same 90A area.
Loren, the Acg.

Dick2 · Dec 17, 2012

When I was a kid, we had a Watkins saleman that would steal chickens if there wasn't anyone at the farm. He was pretty foxy at it too!

Traditional Farmer · Dec 17, 2012

Fisher probably as they are making a comeback
unfortunately.Rarely ever see one like a River Otter but they're around.Could have been a small Coyote they can be black too.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 17, 2012

where was der president, this mornin...?

johndeereman · Dec 17, 2012

I vote mink also they look identical in shape and size to a
ferret. Most people have seen those on tv and in pet shops.
You could have fishers in your neck of the woods. The pa
game commission released them here(northeast pa along the
ny border) about 15 years ago and there thriving. They could
have spread to your area quite easily within that time period.

NW Ohio Tim · Dec 17, 2012

Thanks for the help guys, do Fishers travel far from water?? We are a ways from a river/creek.

Tim

dej(Jed) · Dec 18, 2012

(quoted from post at 21:50:48 12/17/12) Thanks for the help guys, do Fishers travel far from water?? We are a ways from a river/creek.

Tim

I don't think a Fisher is bounded by water. Heck they can get a drink almost anywhere. They are a viscious fur ball.

JRSutton · Dec 18, 2012

fisher is just a name, not what they do.

It's like a big weasle.

They'll eat your cats too.

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