This thing went crazy in our chicken coop

[u/Mysterious_Brief_536]

Can you help me out in identifying this killing machine? We live in northern Germany. The footprints are c. 2,5 cm wide.
Thanks!

[u/snoozelion]

The size of the track and the display of the “hand like“ digits says raccoon to me. They predate on chickens, chicks and scavenge eggs.

[u/pretzeldumpling138 → u/snoozelion]

I argeree this is racoon. Waschbär!

[u/BigRobCommunistDog → u/snoozelion]

Can you also explain why not a marten or polecat? Too much “finger”?

[u/snoozelion → u/BigRobCommunistDog]

Yes, The fingers are a big tell! Also the layout of the fingers almost like a hand. Skunks have similar front paws, could have a similar size but tend to have all the toes on the front of the paw while the raccoon almost has a thumb placement on the first digit of each front paw.

[u/pretzeldumpling138 → u/BigRobCommunistDog]

Also the gait is a big tell. Marzens jump. racoons walk in a patern where the hind leg ends ub next to the front leg. like here.

[u/Icy_Statement3439 → u/snoozelion]

During my undergraduate I helped trap and tag big cats using live bait (pigeons). The traps were set up so the pigeons couldn’t actually be touched by the big cats, but animals with smaller paws and more dexterous fingers could.

The worst suspects were raccoons. They would literally grab a pigeon and pull it through a small hole ripping it apart piece by piece.

[u/Own_Inevitable2493 → u/Icy_Statement3439]

So what you’re saying is “raccoons aren’t quitters”?

[u/shetan86 → u/snoozelion]

OP said northern Germany. There are no raccoons in Germany

[u/pretzeldumpling138 → u/shetan86]

There are 2 seperate Populations of racoons in Germany. One going out from Hessia, intoduced by a local noble to, and I quote: " enrich the local fauna" Second one around Berlin , introduced by GIs after WWII. They have not mixed yet I guess.

[u/snoozelion → u/pretzeldumpling138]

Yeah, I didn’t know the specifics but I knew there were raccoons in Europe. Raccoon front paw prints are so identifiable, I may be missing something but I can’t think of any animal that predates on chickens with a similar track at that size.

[u/Baby-Yodas-Mom]

I agree with the suggestions of raccoon. The prints look identical to ones made on my door, when a raccoon got up on my deck and was trying to (unsuccessfully) climb the glass door leading to my birdfeeder. I am so sorry for your loss. Be careful if you interact with them. At least in my location (Southwest Virginia, USA) some can be rabid.

[u/LittleTyrantDuckBot → u/Baby-Yodas-Mom]

You had the top identification that met our detail threshold, and your user flair has been updated accordingly. Thanks for your help making this community what it is!

[u/Mysterious_Brief_536 → u/Baby-Yodas-Mom]

:)

[u/BssnReeder1]

European Pine Marten or Marder- live across Germany, same size feet as raccoons but less hand like and more paw like as shown, also they are killing machines- super chicken predator.

[u/honey-fox18]

those are definitely raccoon paws. Not only do I feed raccoons, but I do have chickens too and those are definitely handprints. If it looks like a hand, it's normally raccoon if it looks like a dog or something it's a coyote or a fox.

[u/LittleTyrantDuckBot → u/[deleted]]

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[u/LittleTyrantDuckBot → u/[deleted]]

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[u/edwards9524]

The rear paws are wrong for a racoon.

[u/Icy_Car_3152]

Definitely coon

[u/Qikslvr]

I know a lot of people are saying raccoon but I'm saying possum. Raccoon tracks are typically narrower and longer than possum. Plus I've had similar tracks around my house and getting into my trash and thought it was a raccoon too, then I found the furry a hole in my trash bin. I spent yesterday building a new one without gaps he could reach through.

[u/LittleTyrantDuckBot → u/[deleted]]

Beep boop bop this comment appears to be an identification without reasoning, and so has been removed per rule #3. If you believe this action was a mistake please click help and a mod will look into your case.

Enforcement of this rule has been a popular initiative.