Fisher Cat Attack Chickens
Weasels fisher cats and minks are just some of the 55 species in the the family mustelidae which is also commonly referred to as the weasel family.
Fisher cat attack chickens. According to the massachusetts division of fisheries and wildlife fisher cats are predators that prey on medium sized mammals and poultry. They will often raid chicken coops and are capable of killing many chickens at once. Cats are great hunters and will easily kill a chicken. Since fisher cats hunt in the early hours of the morning and evening these are the hours of highest vulnerability for your chickens.
Chicken owners especially need to be very vigilant about fisher cats because chickens are probably the fisher cat s favorite food. They even sometimes play with their prey before eating it. Fisher cats don t fish and really aren t cats at all. Fisher cats are not pleasant creatures.
Even if you feed your cat regularly they will still kill chickens birds and mice. Still you will usually see no other signs of disturbance. You will be unlikely to catch an attack in progress. They are vicious predators.
Feathers and footprints obvious struggle multiple brutally killed chickens missing neck chest regions carcass present. They are a member of the mustelid family that includes weasels minks otters and skunks. However if they attack a chick or a full grown bird they usually leave feathers or wings behind because they can t get these parts down their throats. Fishers may kill one or two birds occasionally more if they are trying to cache food for the hard times ahead.
However because they aren t very big they usually try to attack chicks. Fishers view domestic cats and rabbits as food and will. Fishers are vicious predators who will raid chicken coops and kill numerous chickens in one attack. They will eat the neck and head and may have the breast of the bird opened up as well.
Cats always leave pieces of their prey lying around. Recognize a fisher cat s attack. Signs of fisher cat mink or weasel attack. The least weasel which we will discuss here is common in the northern us and canada but this family is carnivorous and chances are no matter where you go in the western.
One thing for sure is that cats are very messy eaters.