5 dear chickens heads and necks gone

[MoonWizard]

something in the weasel family?

We are in Bay Area CA, I don’t think we have weasels here.

 

[Kiki]

I’ll take one. We are all kind of devastated. Had the 5 from chicks. My two daughters practically grew up with them. They could hold them and pet them and they would just sit with the girls outside. Never really thought too worry about them during the day or early morning.

We do have Possum, I’ve seen them before, but again only at night. We could have Raccoons but have not seen them.

Certainly could have come over fence but not run and if sun was up, Chickens would have been out in the run.

I'm so sorry.
It probably was a possum.
They we'll eat anytime of day...They don't care if it's day or night.

 

[MoonWizard]

I guess also we were just shocked with the necks and heads being gone. Was wondering if a person could, would do that. But I guess Racoon just pulls the neck and head right off at the base like that?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm going with Owls

 

[Alagirl]

We are in Bay Area CA, I don’t think we have weasels here.

the family is huge though, including otters and whatnots.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Pretty sure it wasn't an otter.
What's a "whatnot" ?

 

[Alagirl]

Pretty sure it wasn't an otter.
What's a "whatnot" ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelidae

 

[McChooky]

Owls will crush their skulls with their feet and make a quick kill(no bleeding) They can't carry off a big bird but the head and neck yes. They're nesting this time of the year and have young to feed.

 

[MoonWizard]

Just want to thank everyone for your thoughts and kindness. It really means a lot to have others like all of you share and wish us condolences.

There is definitely a large barn owl that lives around. Though again I’ve only see it at night. But it’s big, like wingspan of 4-6 feet it seems. I’ve had it fly off ver my head twice and it could feel the wind after. Again I’m gonna guess our chickens died around 8 or 9 am. So surprised if it were owl. Also all 5 were gotten.

I’ve seen Possums twice. Though neighbor killed one last year. I did see a baby walking through the chicken run one morning about 8 months ago. It climbed up one of the large spruce trees in our yard.

It’s been years since I’ve seen a Racoon, 5 maybe?

Did see a skunk about a year ago, under fence in run.

Also red fox in field that will walk through our yard at night.

So who knows. Whatever it was it was in the morning around 8:00am. Plenty of sun, Sunrise right now is around 6:00am

Anyway, figure this information is good for someone in the future. Guess we’ll have to build our coup into fort nox and let the chickens roam only when we are out.

 

[LabsandChickens]

Residential neighborhood, our yard backs to a field. We have had our chickens 5+ years. They have a secure wood coup with metal auto door that keeps them say at night. The have a large run made by having a second fence with wire off our property fence. I heard them this morning, around 6 or 7. Sounded like egg laying I thought. When we went out around 11 , found all 5 dead. All with head and neck gone. Cleanly pulled right off. One had its wing torn off with exposed flesh under. No blood anywhere. Could not find wing, any heads of necks. No other signs of injury on chickens. All spaced out almost in a line about 6-7 feet apart almost in center of run.

Attaching images. Warning.
Dropbox with pictures

Any insight into what did this? Have read Hawk (two that frequent field, even ketch in trees by chickens. No issues in years past) Horned Owl? I know we have a large barn owl that flies by now and then but only seen at night. Raccoon?

Fox. This just happened to my stepson. Fox went in and killed them all. A fox will kill them all even if it’s only eating or taking one or having a meal. They kill every single bird first.