what wild animal poop is this?

Wild Bug Ranch

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hey y’all so i got a text saying from my grandma that my ducks have passed and this scat was left next to the murder scene. what is this animal?
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farmerjan

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Probably raccoon.... how many were killed? Possum would most likely kill only 1 or 2 at most...eat some there and leave the rest.... Coons will kill many, and usually leave lots of feathers like that. Carry off the carcass most times also after leaving behind a bloody mess.
Hawks will carry off if possible.... foxes will carry off most of the time also. Seldom will make that big a mess... they prefer to grab and run. Coons also eat lots of different foods and berries and seeds like that are common in their scat.
 

Wild Bug Ranch

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Probably raccoon.... how many were killed? Possum would most likely kill only 1 or 2 at most...eat some there and leave the rest.... Coons will kill many, and usually leave lots of feathers like that. Carry off the carcass most times also after leaving behind a bloody mess.
Hawks will carry off if possible.... foxes will carry off most of the time also. Seldom will make that big a mess... they prefer to grab and run. Coons also eat lots of different foods and berries and seeds like that are common in their scat.
they killed all 3 of my ducks. but no evidence was found on how they got in and no hair was found on the fencing. these were my replacement ducks since i recently just lost 3 other ones. they were my babies and they were so excited to see me every day i went to down there
 

farmerjan

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I'd definitely say coons. That means anything needs to be locked in a TIGHT coop at night until you can trap and dispose of the S.O.B.. They often do not leave hair; and a weasel would not do all the "feathers all over the place" mess... I'd lay odds it is coons and probably a family of them.
 

catherinecarney

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Raccoons.

Unfortunately they are smart and persistent predators and will keep coming back and testing ANY shelter you put your birds in to try to get at them. They will climb up and go between the rafters, so use 1 x 1 cage wire or hardware cloth between them well stapled down (chicken wire is too flimsy). They will dig under the edge of the structure, so make sure that the structure is either off the ground or has some sort of barrier below ground level (I usually either dig a narrow 6" deep trench along the perimeter and pour concrete but cage wire will work). They will claw and and pull off any exterior wood that is not well secured or at all rotted. And they will manipulate latches to open doors. This is all building security stuff I've had to learn the hard way over the years.

Peak times of year for attacks at my place are late June to July (when sows are teaching their kits how to hunt) and fall into winter (when they start to get hungry).


Once one knows where the food is they will teach their buddies. Best approach beyond secure buildings is a trap and gun.

Hope this helps.
 

Stephine

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Yes, that poop looks like raccoon. I put padlocks on my coop doors - no way they’ll open those and I don’t mind the small trouble of using a key in the morning. One more thing about raccoon poop: be super careful, it can be harboring worm eggs for a worm that can attack human bodies and eventually kill, and there is no cure. Wear gloves and double bag and throw poop in trash.
 
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