# Predators



## chknman1989 (Feb 18, 2013)

I woke up this morning to a half eaten pullet. I know it was a small animal but not sure if it is a 
raccoon,opossum or something small like that. 
Any help would be appreciated.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

My guess would be Racoon. Here is a predator chart for you to check out if you want. http://www.pittsborofeed.com/predatorchart.html


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## chknman1989 (Feb 18, 2013)

Thank you I thought it was a raccoon or opossum.


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## Tony-O (Jul 19, 2012)

I say possum. They usually start from the rear.  ***** usually start at the front, neck area, and drag or carry them a little ways from where they grab them.


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## kimberley (Sep 8, 2012)

the raccoon that got mine would take one bite and then put it in a tree and come back later.they will reek havoc on your flock. they did on mine. they are sneaky. i didnt think possums would eat the chickens. Guess i was wrong from what im reading on here. a possum ate 15 eggs out of 1 of my hens nest the other night. I am so upset and hurt about it. they have never messed with my hens just the eggs but i guess i will do a better job about getting rid of them. Im sorry about your hen tho. you better set a trap or call department of natural rescources to see what to do about a raccoon. they gave us permission to shoot ours. they are mean and nasty. you dont want them around if you have children or other pets. they have nasty worms etc that children can get from the dirt they travel on.


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## GypsyFlowers (Feb 14, 2013)

I had two rabbits in a wire cage that ***** attacked, thet tried to pull the buns thru the wire! one was dead still warm it happened at day break. I didn't have my dogs by them yet, we ust moved. I took the other live bun to the vet and she told me ***** are mean and kill for fun. they will bite off a chickens head and leave it...just for fun. I now HATE *****.


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## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

glad we havent got racoons or possums over here.


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## odellfarms (Jan 25, 2013)

Raccoons will typically eat the heads and leave the body. Canine/feline predators will take the entire bird. Weasels will kill just to kill. They can wipe out an entire flock in a coop in one night. Stack them up like cordwood. We use dog proof traps for *****, and trap/shoot the other predators. Predator proofing coops is a must!


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## Deerhunter (Oct 12, 2012)

Raccoons don't want to kill the chickens they just want the eggs but in order to get to the eggs they fill the chicken is in the way so instinct kicks in and they kill now they have their prize the egg.


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## Tony-O (Jul 19, 2012)

Possum will eat eggs over killing a chicken, but ***** prefer the birds. I don't know where you heard that, Deerhunter, but you're dead wrong! They ain't after eggs, they're after blood. Once they taste chicken, ***** WILL KILL chickens every time. Sometimes just for the fun of killing.  They'll bring their whole [email protected] family for the kill party. They can wipe out a small flock in one night, and a large flock in a week. They won't stop till they get them all, or till you start killing them. Also, if you think you can trap them and re-locate them elsewhere (to do the same to another poultry owner) they've been known to return from as far as 50 miles. Best to kill them right there on the spot and be done with it. Don't stop till you get the whole family of those no good raccoons dead, or they'll be back for more chicken!


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

You could try dusting lime or flour around the base of your coop and look for any tracks that would identify the culprit when they come back for more...which I'm betting it does.


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## hennypenny68 (Apr 30, 2013)

I've actually come apon a raccoon still feeding on one of my hens and she was still alive he had started to eat her back end and I had to end her life right there. Then 2 nights later he came back and got another one he killed her ripped her open and only ate the eggs out of her it was horrible. I set up traps and caught the little sh!t and got rid of him I have no use for ***** I've seen them many different animals and they are so cruel.


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## Deerhunter (Oct 12, 2012)

Well let's see Tony o.how do I no that maybe because I'm a conservation officer and a taxidermist For 28 years I no first hand. This site isn't about down grading any one do your Research.no arguing here we are talking about pets here.


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

I have had possums inside my coop with my chickens, stealing eggs from the nests. I have possums that I can hear around the house, looking for eggs in away nests the girls leave here and there. I have never had a hen lost to a possum. I see him/her so often that I gave it a name.

Racoons slaughter chickens, sometimes they eat them, sometimes they don't. I have neighbors that hunt racoons and coyotes and so I don't have such a big issue with them as I do foxes. However I know quite a few people who have lost their entire flocks in one night, or several nights to racoons. When I talk "chicken" to people racoons here are the #1 chicken killer. That is my personal experience.

Egg stealers? Possums and snakes.


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

I agree 100%! I have seen it. We have killed just as many raccoons as fox around here.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

We've had possums that will eat the breasts off the chickens as they roost and the chickens will still be roosting, dead, with their breasts torn out in the morning light. In the dark they can't move or escape because they cannot see, so the possum can take his time with the endeavor. 

That was many, many years ago and the biggest possum I've ever seen. Now we have a possum/raccoon killing dog around the coop at night at all times and we haven't had a problem since. 

If you have a dog it becomes much, much more simple to keep preds away from the birds, both day and night.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Mink & Weasel;*

Don't forget Mink and Weasels. Both can clean out the coop. We are careful to lock our birds in every evening since we lost all our birds a little over a year ago to a Mink. I've found Racoons lurking around and dispatched them. We've had Opossum in the barn but never yet had any problems.

We gather the eggs each evening as we gather the birds into their pens.

We recently hatched four baby ducklings and I believe Coyotes got three of them last night. We have a small pen within the chicken yard for the ducks. But those little ones squeeze through the fence and chase bugs into the cornfield.

Three weeks ago I found a four foot Gopher snake in the barn loft. I was peering out the loft door and when I stood up the snake was stretched out from a beam checking me out. I put him in a large (very large) mailbox and carried him out to our rock pile. Attached is a picture of the snake in the mailbox. A few days later I found this shed skin under our picture window of the house.

One other thing. I wouldn't rule out a Hawk or Owl. They can and will eat a bird on the spot because usually they can't carry one off.


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## Deerhunter (Oct 12, 2012)

Very well said.locking them up and gathering the eggs.my coops are sealed so tight a mouse can't get in.but That's what we do follow those two steps no more problems.


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## hennypenny68 (Apr 30, 2013)

I lock mine up every night as well my neighbour lost all but 2 in a night from a mink there horrible cause they go into a killing frenzie and won't stop till everyone has stop moving.


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## trottier911 (Nov 1, 2016)

Shoot, shovel, shut up is the best advice!!!,


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Trotter, you seem to be using older posts. These may not be seen. You might consider starting a new thread....


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## Tony-O (Jul 19, 2012)

Deerhunter said:


> Well let's see Tony o.how do I no that maybe because I'm a conservation officer and a taxidermist For 28 years I no first hand. This site isn't about down grading any one do your Research.no arguing here we are talking about pets here.


A little late to answer you, but it's been bugging me for a while, and right now, I'm in the mood, so I'll tell it like it is. 
How do I know, you ask? Well I've been raising free range assorted poultry from before you were born. As for doing my research, I've read some, but mostly from living the experience. 
Speaking of research, do yours. About 12 years ago, a scientific research study was done on ***** and some that were relocated 50 miles away RETURNED to the same place they were captured from. 
Not saying I know everything, but I do know this. 
"Possums" prefer eggs, and will sneak under a hen to get at them, usually un-noticed, but sometimes killing the hen if she puts up a fight. 
"Raccoons" prefer live meat over eggs 99% of the time. They will pass up a nest of eggs to get to a live bird. I have seen it. 
So I stand with what I said. Raccoons need to be killed, NOT relocated.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Tony-O
It would be better to start a new thread with a new discussion. You're conversing with someone from 6/29/13. This is a controversial subject. I think it's fine if you want to discuss your opinion, but don't let anyone pull you into an argument.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

Could have just died then the other Chicken pecked and eat it


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