Lost a hen

[LuciferRoo]

Yesterday I lost one of my hens. I am currently away and have someone looking after my chickens. Unfortunately the automatic door malfunctioned and I had him take it off.
I had not had any issues with wild predators before, although there was a opossum that did steal eggs in the evening.
Anyway, he sent me a photo of the remains.
Can anyone tell what may had done this?
I am in deep south Texas where it's very dry, so that eliminates critters that live near water.
I am attaching the photo that he sent me.
I am not sure where the egg was but seeing that much hay outside is strange.

 

[Debbie292d]

So sorry for your loss.

My first thoughts are a dog or a fox. It could be something else too but it'll be hard to know unless you can find some footprints or set up a camera and see what's coming around at night.

Some deer cams are relatively cheap. We use two deer cams and several Blink cameras, plus solar motion lights.

I hope you have no others lost!

 

[McChooky]

This may have been a raptor or 4 legged predator but without knowing what parts of the bird was eaten(if any) its hard to say. Dogs will kill the whole flock but won't eat them and owls or hawks kill one bird carry pieces to the nest one at a time back to the nest and leave the carcass for scavengers(which is what this appears to be) Foxes don't eat their prey at the kill site.They carry them back to their dens.Regardless of what it was I'm sorry for your loss and hope you get your door soon.Whatever it was will be back so try to keep your flock contained until the predators identified.

 

[LuciferRoo]

This may have been a raptor or 4 legged predator but without knowing what parts of the bird was eaten(if any) its hard to say. Dogs will kill the whole flock but won't eat them and owls or hawks kill one bird carry pieces to the nest one at a time back to the nest and leave the carcass for scavengers(which is what this appears to be) Foxes don't eat their prey at the kill site.They carry them back to their dens.Regardless of what it was I'm sorry for your loss and hope you get your door soon.Whatever it was will be back so try to keep your flock contained until the predators identified.

My friend has put a manual door back on.
I used to have a manual door there that is basically a piece of plywood with a short 2X4 for a handle that slid up and down in a track.

 

[McChooky]

My friend has put a manual door back on.
I used to have a manual door there that is basically a piece of plywood with a short 2X4 for a handle that slid up and down in a track.

Because you have a possum stealing eggs its my # 1 4 legged suspect. They can't can't catch a chicken out in the open but in the nest thats a diff story

 

[LRH97]

I'm betting on a raptor or raccoon, with strong inclinations towards raccoon. Both will eat at the kill site. Many times coons will eat the head, but not always. I've found remains in secluded corners and old pens that haven't been used in a while that look similar to this. They find a nice quiet spot nearby and chow down. They also will take eggs as well. They will likely be back too, if this is the case. I had a small infestation that we eliminated with dog-proof traps. Three, all young females. They were quite brazen as well--breaking into pens and going after birds with me outside. We lost several younger birds until we found the remains and then later caught them in the act.

Sorry for your loss. It never fails to happen when you're not around--been there, done that too many times.

 

[McChooky]

Possums were going in and out of our cat catios stealing catfood before I repaired the cage.They were also sleeping in trees right beside our chicken coop .I haven't seen them sleeping in the trees by the coop anymore .I'm going to try letting my chickens out to free range supervised tomorrow. for a couple hrs. I never let them out anymore if its rainy,windy or cloudy

 

[SmiYa0126]

I agree, look like a raccoon to me.

 

[McChooky]

I agree, look like a raccoon to me.

I'm a big fan of possums because they'll kill rats and snakes but I don't trust them around my chickens or eggs

 

[McChooky]

Never believe a possum won't kill a hen in a nest