14 Chickens Killed. What predator?

[blackb3]

We live in southwest Florida. Last night we had 14 out of 22 chickens killed. Feathers everywhere. 10 dead chickens left in the field and 4 missing. All dead chickens in-tack with minimal bites and no blood, except one was missing a head. Most had bit marks around neck, but some had bite marks on body. Bit mark picture attached, it seems like a small mouth but I am not sure. Our chickens are free range during the day and locked up at night. We forgot to shut the coop door. Feathers started in the coop and were all over the field. We have had this happen a few other times over the last 2 years, and it has been the same with MANY chickens killed, most bodies left, and some missing. Every time it has happened we had forgotten to shut the coop door, so of course we feel so bad. We have not had any problems with predators trying to get into the pen. Ordered a trail cam, but trying to figure out what got them. We also have two donkeys, but that didn't help at all. Any ideas?

 

[RainbowHen]

Seems like a weasel

 

[TARDIS37379]

Here, when it’s multiple killings and not eaten it is often stray dogs.
I lost 18 to a dog and he just grabbed them and shook them. He didn’t eat any.
Cameras give you a good idea of what is happening. I have live and recorded video of my coops.

 

[EastJacket]

Seems like a weasel

x2

 

[cmom]

Seems like a weasel

We don't have weasels in Florida that I know of. Could be fox, coyote, bobcat which would be most likely. We also have coons among other predators. A bobcat killed 14 of my birds one night. I put traps out. It didn't come back the next night but did the following night, big mistake.

 

[blackb3]

Seems like a weasel

I have lived in the area of Florida my whole life and have never seen or heard of one. I looked them up, and we do have some but from what I read its pretty rare.

 

[cmom]

Could have been a panther.

 

[cmom]

A neighbor had a friend in the area that lost some of her birds. She said it was a lion (probably a panther).

 

[blackb3]

Could have been a panther.

We have two standard donkeys in the pasture around the pens and three pigs in the pens. If it was a panther, do you think it would have went after a bigger prey like the donkeys or pigs?

 

[cmom]

Probably wasn't a panther. Probably either a fox, coyote or bobcat. Do you have a game camera you can put up? More than likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and it will be back. Good luck...