DAPNET Forums Archive › Forums › Draft Animal Power › Animal Health › Livestock Husbandry › chicken predator ID
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f3farms.
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- December 9, 2011 at 1:36 am #43292
Andy Carson
ModeratorI lost a 3 month old pullet today at about 3-4 o’clock in the afternoon when it was free ranging and am trying to figure out what killed it. The head and neck were missing, as was the breast and most internal organs. Interestingly, most of the crop was NOt eaten and all the contents of the crop (grain etc) was left behind. The gizzard was also untouched. I found the chicken carcass in a very open area, with no cover in within 100 ft (maybe more). It would be a strange area to drag something to so I can only assume it was killed there. I am thinking it was a hawk, but thought I would see if anyone else had any thoughts. This is actually my first loss to a predator, so I just don’t want to get a pattern started. The bird was an Americauna, which I thought might be interesting for the colored eggs. They are, unfortunately, MUCH easier to catch and noticably less “aware” than my other chickens, not sure I’m going to keep many of them… I included a picture of the carcass as it lay when I found it, which wasn’t until dark when I closed up the coop for the night. Maybe the picture will help more than the description.
December 9, 2011 at 7:45 am #70811Kevin Cunningham
ParticipantSounds like hawk or owl to me missing head is classic owl, but during the day I would guess hawk.
December 9, 2011 at 1:36 pm #70766ModeratorWhatever it was must have killed the chicken quickly and very quietly too. I was home at the time, as was my dog, but we were both on the other side of the house where you can’t see this area. Still, if there was a struggle or much noise, I think my dog would have taken a look and I would guess he would have barked if there was an owl or hawk on the ground. On the other hand, he is very well trained to leave birds alone and perhaps he doesn’t know the difference between “good” and “bad” birds. He won’t chase off wild turkey either… I haven’t really wanted to try to teach him the difference between “good” and “bad” birds, for fear that he might find out it’s fun to chase chickens. I can put up with loosing a pullet now and then to a hawk or owl, but I suppose I’ll have to see if this is a pattern that is starting.
December 9, 2011 at 2:26 pm #70708Lane Linnenkohl
ParticipantLooks like a hawk to me.
December 9, 2011 at 3:34 pm #70741near horse
ParticipantYou might look at the carcass again – along the back. If it was a hawk/owl you should see puncture wounds from the talons unless that tissue was destroyed as it was eaten.
December 9, 2011 at 4:29 pm #70767ModeratorI did look for bite marks and wounds that would indicate a particular animal on the carcass without much luck. Much of the bony part of the lower back/pelvis is still attached, but is without wounds. The parts (head, neck, breast, organs) that were eaten were completely eaten and the other less interesting parts (legs, feathers, bones, gizzard) were pristine. It was taken apart and eaten with nearly surgical precision and cleaniness. The grass and feathers that are on the carcass in the photo were from me “messing” with the carcass looking for wounds. It seemed to be a hawk or owl, but have no definate “tell tale” fingerprints. I have read that there is often a “spray” that is left when hawks or owls eat a chicken, and that is missing. Also, I saw no evidence of feather plucking. This seems an ideal location for a flying predator attack, as it is in a open area with a few tall trees to dive from. The neighbors say they usually loose thier chickens to fox, hawk, and raccoon (in that order) so these are the short list of likely predators. I can’t think a fox would be so bold in daylight when me and my dog are home and to eat in the middle of a open field seems nuts. I think the same would go for a raccoon, plus I am not sure a raccoon would be able to catch a chicken in a open field in the day when they can run away. I think a raccoon would be more likely to ambush a chicken, and there are ceratinly opportunities for that when they are ranging. If nothing else, a chase would attract the dog. He has a very special hatred for raccoons, and I am sure the feeling is mutual…
December 9, 2011 at 5:21 pm #70751dominiquer60
ModeratorA raptor does seem most likely, a fox would not have such precision dissecting, and a coon would want to bring it by water not out in the open, the out in the open seems raptor like as well. On my drive home yesterday I saw 2 Red Tails feasting on something in the middle of a hay field, they had a good view of the area in case another predator wanted join them, and they would have had time to take off.
December 10, 2011 at 3:55 am #70742ParticipantDo you have some larger trees or even a power pole near the field? Red-tailed hawks like to sit and watch for prey and then swoop down it rather than flying looking for food.
December 10, 2011 at 2:20 pm #70768ModeratorThe field is surrounded by tall trees, any a dozen or so would be ideal perches. I have been watching for a hawk in the trees, but saw nothing yesterday. It was a windy day though so might have detered a flying hunter. Keeping my eyes open…
December 11, 2011 at 5:55 am #70762tirontco
ParticipantYou’re describing exactly how foxes wiped out all of my chickens this summer. Every one taken in the open in broad daylight. If they were in a hurry they’d eat the head and viscera and come back for the rest after dark. The sneaky blankety-blanks were even smart enough to only come around when nobody was home. If my daughter hadn’t stayed home sick one day we never would have figured out what was going on.
Bad news is that now he knows a technique that works and he won’t quit ’till somebody kills him.
December 15, 2011 at 9:58 pm #70743ParticipantOn second thought, I’ve not seen head removal by hawks/owls as they don’t have teeth and are more prone to swallow “bites” whole. Some sort of mammal is more likely.
December 16, 2011 at 12:02 am #70709john plowden
Participantermine or mink – we’ve had some here that do similar damage –
johnDecember 16, 2011 at 12:53 am #70703Scott G
ParticipantI’m lovin’ this episode of DAPnet CSI… 😎 I’ve been holding off but my vote is definitely weasel (ermine in winter). They have a tendency to initially kill like that and come back for seconds later…
December 16, 2011 at 1:54 am #70801mitchmaine
Participantprofessor plum in the library with the candlestick!
December 16, 2011 at 5:12 am #70769ModeratorI have been watching for several days and haven’t seen any sign of a flying predator, but I haven’t lost any more chickens. I really don’t know much about the weasel family as predators. Haven’t seen any, but that doesn’t mean much… I thought they were pretty noctural, though, and this definately happened in daylight hours. I also wonder if they would run down a chicken in an open area. Some of my chickens (ESP the americaunas) are pretty Dippy though, and might not have run away. I suppose better to have it happen when the birds are ranging rather than in the coop, where I could have lost many. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to never really know what killed this chicken, but that is wishful thinking.
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