Help me figure out what killed this hen.......GRAPHIC PICS!!!!!

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willkatdawson

willkatdawson

Songster
11 Years
Mar 31, 2008
1,232
10
181
Ga
I let my small flock free range, and I knew I was taking a risk. I haven't lost any chickens to predators since I've had them (2.5 years) I normally have 3 big dogs out on the farm with the chickens, but it's been cold and they're wimps. So they've been spending a lot of time in the basement. I'm hoping you can help me figure out what killed this hen.
Thanks,
Caroline
this was the scene when I got there. My husband had turned her over, but I wanted you to see the feather pattern around her.
8175_chicken_001.jpg

her head was severed, and completely missing.
8175_chicken_003.jpg

there were 2 piles of feather about 9 feet from her body
8175_chicken_009.jpg


any help you can give would be great.
Thanks
 
Thanks.
When my husband described the scene to me over the phone I thought hawk, but it looks like to me the ribs were eaten. And her head was no where to be found. Plus the 2 other piles of feathers have me baffled.
 
I saw a hawk catch a dove once. The dove was too big for the small hawk to carry easily so the hawk just perched on top of the dove and began grabbing beakfulls of feathers and pulling them out and dropping them as fast as possible. Over and over it plucked, feathers flew all over until it got to the skin and meat. It looks to me like that happened to your bird. A racoon will usually kill it with a bite then eat the head and/or carry it away. They don't pluck prior to eating.
 
out here in Jackson NJ, we have a lot of hawk and vultures. 3 years ago when I let them free range, I've found one of my Rhode Island hen dead in my front yard and it was similiar to what you've found. The sad part of it all was, it had an egg inside her still, and it probably interupted some how because it didn't complete eat the chicken. The whole front part of her body was torn off and feathers everywhere. I don't think it's coon, I agree with willkatdawson. I'm sorry for your loss
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