What Killed My Chicken?

[moonium]

I'll start off by saying that I have guinea fowl, they're free range with a coop and a run that stays open 24/7 except in the winter. Everything has been a-okay, no attacks, until this morning. I have a very protective 20 pound feline who keeps average predators at bay, but apparently this one didn't care.

I went to clean up my coop this morning and inside I found two chicken wings, still attached to each other with no meat or blood, laying on the coop floor. No blood, anywhere in the coop, and not a lot of feathers that would indicate a scuffle. I did a perimeter check and inside my run I found the rest of the chicken. Only all that was left was the head, spine with a thin casing, the legs, and feet with clear tears at the feet where the meat and skin were ripped off. No blood. I'm at a loss as to what kind of predator I'm dealing with here. Obviously it fit into my coop, only entry is a chicken door that I could fit my head in.

Everything I read about predators says they'll drain the blood but leave the meat, or eat just the head, or carry the body away before eating. This bird was eaten clean, even the wings were cleaned down to the bones first in the coop and then the run. Has anyone seen anything like this? I have three remaining guineas, they have no wounds, scars, and they're not overly skittish either. I've had a dog attack in the past, and that left them in various stages of panic at the slightest movement for weeks.

Any help someone can offer would be greatly appreciated, needless to say I'll be sealing the coop at night for a while now.

 

[Ellie Hooks]

Wow.... I'd like to know what everyone else thinks I'm way too new to fathom a guess

 

[rjohns39]

I'll start off by saying that I have guinea fowl, they're free range with a coop and a run that stays open 24/7 except in the winter. Everything has been a-okay, no attacks, until this morning. I have a very protective 20 pound feline who keeps average predators at bay, but apparently this one didn't care.

I went to clean up my coop this morning and inside I found two chicken wings, still attached to each other with no meat or blood, laying on the coop floor. No blood, anywhere in the coop, and not a lot of feathers that would indicate a scuffle. I did a perimeter check and inside my run I found the rest of the chicken. Only all that was left was the head, spine with a thin casing, the legs, and feet with clear tears at the feet where the meat and skin were ripped off. No blood. I'm at a loss as to what kind of predator I'm dealing with here. Obviously it fit into my coop, only entry is a chicken door that I could fit my head in.

Everything I read about predators says they'll drain the blood but leave the meat, or eat just the head, or carry the body away before eating. This bird was eaten clean, even the wings were cleaned down to the bones first in the coop and then the run. Has anyone seen anything like this? I have three remaining guineas, they have no wounds, scars, and they're not overly skittish either. I've had a dog attack in the past, and that left them in various stages of panic at the slightest movement for weeks.

Any help someone can offer would be greatly appreciated, needless to say I'll be sealing the coop at night for a while now.

With a kill that clean, I'm betting on raccoon(s)--but could be any number of predators. With that said, coons are notorious for killing everyone they can get to. Last coon strike I had, one of my young ones was sleeping in the corner where there was just chicken wire (yup, now its hardware cloth with hot wires running around it). All they left was the gizzard (it wouldn't fit through the wire) and a trail of small bits.

 

[LadyRed76]

Opossums... Most likely. They will eat a bird like that.
A fox,undisturbed will eat like that.
Definitely a mammal of some sort.
Secure your coop door,if that's the only way in.
Good luck!
Hope you don't loose anymore.

 

[moonium]

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! I'm still scratching my head about this though. I live pretty far north (close to Canada) and I've never in my life seen an opossum, but I guess there's a first time for everything?

The only reason I'm doubting a fox is because my chickens all roost at night, something would either have to be able to reach three feet up, leap, or climb to get the chicken. And rip the wings off in one segment without leaving any blood in the coop...this was such a brutal slaughter.

Raccoons are a definite possibility, and one I will dread. Although the fact that it just went for one and not the others, unless the others took off while this one was being killed. Once a guinea gets open ground to run, good luck catching up.

If only I had a trail cam that I could set up in the coop or run.

 

[LadyRed76]

Lol. Yea...may not be any opossums in your area.
But I got to thinking maybe a Bobcat or Lynx.
They would jump up to catch a bird...don't see why not jump up and catch one of your birds.
Its stressing,I know.
Hope all works out.