Rodent problem

Hello all, one of our friends asked us if we could help out with something that is taking chickens and turkeys out of her barn. We went over and checked it out and found a half eaten Turkey killed in the last few days. Looked around and found a few big piles of scat and some paw prints in the dust. Took some pictures set up a camera and a trap to see what's going on. Took some pictures of the scat and paw prints. Looking to see if anyone may have a few ideas. It's not a consistent schedule of the turkeys and chicken going missing but in the last 2 months 8 chickens and 4 turkeys

Racoons...get yourself a live trap from TSC, set it up then SSS....

They come into the barn after dark, so it's best to set a trap.

I posted a thread a few years back with some pics of how I set it up etc...

https://www.oodmag.com/community/sho...hlight=raccons

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Racoons...get yourself a live trap from TSC, set it up then SSS....

They come into the barn after dark, so it's best to set a trap.

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Would the raccoon eat the turkeys? The turkeys fly and run away that's the part that's confusing me

Yes, but primarily they just kill them. When you go into a pen and see the bird de-decapitated then it was more than likely raccoons. I have seen Martins do the same, but your scat/track pics look more like racoon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Yes, but primarily they just kill them. When you go into a pen and see the bird de-decapitated then it was more than likely raccoons. I have seen Martins do the same, but your scat/track pics look more like racoon.

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We have only 1 half carcass left everything else has just dissapeared

It could also be a Possum, this happened to our neighbor , lost 3 turkeys and 17 hens to a boar possum .
It all ended when he borrowed my live trap and caught it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaycee

It could also be a Possum,

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Possums are pretty much limited to the southern edges of Ontario. I don't think I have every heard of a sighting in the Ottawa area.

If they are up on the Bruce Peninsula , no reason why they can't be in the Ottawa area, they are also in the norther part of Michigan.

[COLOR=#333333] but recently this naked-tailed marsupial has been turning up in garages and garden sheds all the way up to Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula.

[COLOR=#333333]But starting in the 1970s and 1980s, they just exploded over the northern part of Michigan.”
The above from the link posted below.

http://cwf-fcf.org/en/news-features/...sojourner.html

COONS!
The one pic is definitely coon front paws - not possum. possum front paws have a somewhat opposing thumb.
Also the pile of crap is a dead coon giveaway. They seem to have a fav spot when crappin in attics etc. I've seen them pile it up so high you'd wonder if they were wearing high heels.