7 dead in 1 night

[MandaH]

We had a weasel one year. It just wanted the heads but otherwise did try concealing the bodies for later. It came in and slaughtered so many birds at once, very heart breaking

 

[50-45-1]

I find it very unlikely a weasel would be able to eat 7 chicken heads at once. Weasel will kill multiple birds at once, but only eat a small amount of one. Eating heads is the typical of an owl. Maybe a fox, but not convinced. If you are locking the chickens up now and still loosing them, your coop is not secure. Check it over for openings, put up cameras, and maybe use a baby monitor at night to catch whatever in the act. . Chicken keeping is a constant battle.
Good luck!

 

[bobbi-j]

I find it very unlikely a weasel would be able to eat 7 chicken heads at once.

But a mink could.

 

[keesmom]

A fisher is another possibility.

 

[filomeli]

I can tell you for sure it was a raccoon that ate the heads off your chickens! Fox are stealth and you will hardly ever hear a peep or see a feather missing. Quick in killing. It's only the young ones that aren't so sly. Sorry for your loss!

 

[Avian Allie]

Sounds like you had a weasel or fox. Then a possum might have come along and stolen some heads of the dead birds. A hungry or nursing fox would come around in the day but she would definitely take the whole bird. Is there any way you could get a livestock guardian dog? That would definitely help your chickens safety. Sorry for your flock loss.

 

[jiminpa]

add rats to the list.

 

[Ryder]

Raccoons!! Maybe a fox was letting the raccoon do all the killing and he just buried them for himself! Raccoons are the number 1 reasons for missing heads! Cool fact actually If you see eggs in water raccoons dropped them water I learned this out actually

 

[Red Star 2019]

Have to make sure the coop is locked up at night. I would think a racoon would be the culprit.

 

[jugchoke]

25 years of raising chickens, (out of 83), in two different high predator locations, and never seen a raccoon take only a head or multiple heads!

But weasels, (or mink) certainly will!
Matter of fact, we had a mink for a week or too this summer. Neighbor and I both.

(Other predators will most certainly “clean up” what weasels or mink leave behind). Very possibly the reason raccoons get seem to get the blame!