Predators that decapitate chickens

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enola

enola

Crowing
11 Years
Jan 23, 2009
13,143
1,517
378
Irwin, Pennsylvania (Pittsburg area)
What kind of predator--wild or domestic--would take only the head and neck of a chicken, leaving the rest of the chicken undamaged? I have lost too many chickens now to this menace. I have closed up all holes and set traps around chicken house, but have NOT seen this predator -- 'possum, fox, raccoon, cat, ect. It's puzzling because it's killing my best chickens, but only taking the head and neck. Anybody have any ideas about what it could be?
 
Raccoon are famous for that, even reaching through wire to pull head off. Since you say you've been reinforcing and still getting attacks I'd guess it's a weasel. I read on here to wrap your live traps in hardware cloth or they'll simply squeeze out after setting it.
 
I guess I should've said that I've only recently fixed the holes--as of this morning. So I'm not sure yet what I'll come home to, now that the holes have been patched. Hopefully this has fixed the problem. I was wondering, however, what kind of predator would kill my chickens by decapitating them, head and neck only, leaving the rest of the body alone. I suspected raccoon, or maybe a 'possum.
 
Hi enola, sorry to hear of the loss.

I just found a beheaded hen in my run yesterday, but her feathers were outside the run. Mostly.
First time I've had any such attack, I'm pretty certain we have our first raccoon. I'm thinking it attacked early morning or very late afternoon.
 
OPOSSUM!!! It got a few of ours. Coons will to but the possum is notorius for killing for fun! The coon that got one dug under and could get hold just enough but actually took of the hens back half. The opossums just beheaded and left.
 

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