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I am concerned the attackers are human. Although we are in a rural area and we are friendly with all or neighbors, no known enemies....we've been here all our lives, it feels suspicous to me. They didn't freeze...we're in Northern CA...it's been in the 70's during the day....plus, they have a hen house that they go in. Whatever it was chased them out of the hen house into the coup area, then piled them up after they were killed. The gate doesn't lock but it was firmly shut, I actually had to struggle a bit with it to open it this morning.
I'm appreciating all the input and condolences...thank you.
I am thinking human because your original post stated that only a few heads were missing, and the lack of blood. With 18 dead chickens, by an animal, there should be quite a bit of blood. Or so you would think. I can't think of an animal, especially a small animal that can kill a chicken without spilling blood, except for a snake but its the wrong time of year for snakes. If they were dead with no trace of blood... sounds like broken necks to me.
Rooster crowing in the middle of the night can make for angry neighbors. My 3 silkie roos crow all hours of the night and day. Going to cull them soon before my neighbors start to complain... or worse. I also live in a very rural area, but a few houses are within eye sight, so I think they are within hearing distance too.
