Predator decapitating hens?

Robotack

I had a call from a local farmer at his wits end as he's loosing hens to beat the band to a "fox".

He's eating the heads off the hens and leaving them in the same spot inside the fence but there's no obvious hole big enough for a fox to pass through.

Any of you ever seen this before? Could it be a marten / mink or something? He's asked me to shoot foxes but I'm not certain that'll solve his problem.

Birdnuts

Sounds like a job needing a few mink traps allright. A large rat could do this type of damage too.

strangles

Id put money on it being a pine martin. Seen the same thing before farmer thought twas fox but turned out to be pine martins......

Robotack

Birdnuts wrote: »

Sounds like a job needing a few mink traps allright. A large rat could do this type of damage too.

I didn't think rats did this kinda stuff. Funny you should say it though... a big ol rat walked past us as we were chatting, not 5ft away with a slice of bread in his mouth that he'd retreived from the hens run.

He has cage type rat traps down but no bites. How'd you go about trapping marten? And is it legal?

strangles

Think there protected now all rite . But sure if you set trap for mink and martin happened to wonder in theres not a lot you could do about it.......

Birdnuts

Robotack wrote: »

He has cage type rat traps down but no bites. How'd you go about trapping marten? And is it legal?

If you get a Marten you will have to release it. Best thing to do if you get one is give a buzz to your local ranger, explain the situation and if he is anyway reasonable he will allow you to release it in a different area(far enough away that he won't revisit the chicken run). Often the ranger will collect the Marten and release it in some remote forestry for example, well away from the scene of the crime. The shock of being trapped should make the animal well wary of going back to cause more trouble in any case.

As for rats, the big ones certainly don't reach that size on a strictly vegetarian diet;)

hiddenmongoose

.Mink will kill all round them for sport.there is a rise in stoats round my area at the moment( dunno why) but they too will kill chickens.Iv been told the mink will chew the head off to kill the hen .A fox will usually carry off or eat on spot what he kills

TriggerPL

Martin !

Tommy87

I've seen this, I lost 24 chickens last year. I caught the culprit in the act. I'm my case it was a mink. I put down traps straight away and caught 2 in 2 nights. I couldn't figure out how he was getting into the hen house. So when I walked in on him doing the deed he ran to the corner of the house and disappeared. He had chewed a hole big enough for himself in the floor. There Was a hole from a knot in the timber and he chewed away and eventually got in. Definatly put down a trap.

Derpington95

An Chupacabra?

Slyderx1

Bear Grylls i reckon....

Cass

Robotack wrote: »

How'd you go about trapping marten? And is it legal?

You don't. highly protected, and trapping, even accidental, is an offence.

strangles wrote: »

But sure if you set trap for mink and martin happened to wonder in theres not a lot you could do about it.......

Release immediately.

Birdnuts wrote: »

If you get a Marten you will have to release it. Best thing to do if you get one is give a buzz to your local ranger, explain the situation and if he is anyway reasonable he will allow you to release it in a different area(far enough away that he won't revisit the chicken run). Often the ranger will collect the Marten and release it in some remote forestry for example, well away from the scene of the crime. The shock of being trapped should make the animal well wary of going back to cause more trouble in any case.

Correct.

Accidents will happen. It's all about how you handle it. If you are having problems it might do no harm to contact the NPWS, tell them you are setting traps, and ask what the procedure is if a Pine Marten is accidentally caught. This way you are giving a heads up to the NPWs, and covering yourself if you have to call them should you catch one.

However i need to say this again. Pine Martens, and Stoats are protected. They cannot be trapped, moved, hunted, killed, relocated or even interfere with their habitat without prior consent/co-operation/license from the NPWS.


As for mink. Go for gold.

yubabill1

Sounds most like a mink, to me.

We have a lot of them round here.

They eat the head and leave the rest when food is plentiful.

Fox can kill more than it needs if it gets excited, but will return to mop up and won't usually eat the head, just leaves general mayhem.

Never had a problem with the marten, although plenty around, so can't comment.

Eddie B

Don't rule out a fox! Fox's often only eat the heads especially if its difficult to get in and out of a pen/fence! Fox often leave signs behind like footprints, fur on fence, smell and scat! Check the area for signs, whether it be fox, mink, etc, they usually leave some signs!

dodderangler

Wouldn't rule out feral cats either

Robotack

Rats, mink, marten, cats, foxes. ... more confused than ever!

Cheers for the opinions lads. I'm gonna start by trying to take out a couple of foxes. I'll update if that makes any difference or I happen to find the culprit.