Chickens died... what killed them?

[shawneesas]

Help!
We have goats and (used to) six chickens. This morning we went outside and it was quiet. Normally the goats are baa'ing and chickens are clucking to be let out. We could see the goats, but it was completely silent.
I go inside... every single chicken is dead. the door is still locked, but the chickens are dead. The smallest one is smushed up against the corner of the fence like something was trying to pull it out.
One chicken is missing it's head, and another was 'scalped'. (no skin on back of head). Except for the one in the corner of the fence, and the scalped one, they are all in fighting positions. Four are scattered, and one looks like it was protecting another. I will try to post a picture. what could of happened?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Definitely a predator. Could have been a raccoon, weasel or any number of things depending on your housing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Search your coop for openings that you weren't aware of--mink and weasels can get through 1 inch chicken wire easily, and most predators are strong enough to rip through it. Some predators will dig underneath dirt floors.

 

[shawneesas]

here are the poor babies. in the back right corner you can see the one that was almost pulled through the fence. then there are the three in the middle. in the left corner, you see the two, it looks like the dark one was protecting the white one. i will post more pics, close ups.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chicken pulled through fence is modus operandi of a raccoon.
It looks like the scene of a fox, dog, raccoon or weasel attack - among others.

Is the place completely covered? Is that just chicken wire over the opening?

 

[theoldchick]

That's awful. I'm guessing raccoon, possum, weasel. It can vary according to what part of world you are from. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[shawneesas]

warning- blood, graphic

we did find this little gap. it looks like someone tried to pull popeye (she was the smallest) through.


here are some pictures of the ones that went down fighting. this is smore

juicyfruit


this one is sad and gross, sorry. here's drumstick.


Here are yolkie (white) and omelet (red, my baby

)

it looks like omelet was protecting yolkie, after or before she hurt her head.
sorry, this one is bloody.


so, what do you think happened? as you can see, the hole at the beginning is pretty small, but that's all we could find...

 

[shawneesas]

three and a half walls are concrete and wood, the door is wood. half of the one side is chicken wire.

 

[shawneesas]

oh, and we are in southern michigan.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Is there a roof?

It is an awful thing to find. I know, it happened to me. Dogs, coons, possums - ugh!!!
As you've found, chicken wire keeps chickens in but nothing else out.