Attacked by? Graphic pics.

[beccabonny]

I’m on vacation and have a friend watching my quail. She sent these pics yesterday and was very upset. Something got into the barn and had a quail murder spree. But why just their heads!? I was thinking rats? I’m almost completely sure the coop has been proofed from anything larger than that (fox, raccoon) but maybe weasel?

I’m having her shut them in the larger portion of the coop for now as the attacks seemed to only take place in the one side.

Of course this happens while I’m away! I hope fluffy made it.

 

[Lydia Huizenga]

I'm gonna say it was a weasel. They behead their prey. Sorry for you losses.

 

[sloanbychoice]

Weasels will definitely leave headless carnage.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Any identifiable bite marks on the birds?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Weasels will definitely leave headless carnage.

I had this happen to me once, but everyone said it was Raccoon.

Raccoons killed our turkeys back in Oregon once, & it was complete mutilation, guts everywhere, carcassses hanging from the fence, & one turkey was left alive in shock.

 

[sloanbychoice]

I had this happen to me once, but everyone said it was Raccoon.

Raccoons killed our turkeys back in Oregon once, & it was complete mutilation, guts everywhere, carcassses hanging from the fence, & one turkey was left alive in shock.

Such voracious predators.
I have deep respect for nature typically.
But any predator that kills more than it will eat is despicable in my opinion.
Weasels are the worst, with coons very close in there. Just killing to kill.

That must have been a terrible and shocking thing to have to see!!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Such voracious predators.
I have deep respect for nature typically.
But any predator that kills more than it will eat is despicable in my opinion.
Weasels are the worst, with coons very close in there. Just killing to kill.

That must have been a terrible and shocking thing to have to see!!

We think it was a family of Raccoons that killed our turkeys. Because 4 bodies were mutilated on the fence, 1 was missing, & the one left alive in alot of shock.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

So sorry for your loss.

Many predators are going into a bloodlust while so much prey is flapping in panic around them.
It can be many types of predators, leaving the killed bodies headless, as they killed more than they need in this bloodlust.
A fox does it too in our breeding area.

If your coop is save for bigger predators, rats or weasles/martens are likely.

Again, so sorry

 

[Pandaisy]

I have seen a rat biting of the head of a pigeon. Someone once told me that where a rat's snout fits through, the whole body fits through. So sorry for your loss!

 

[Fenrisulfr]

I have seen a rat biting of the head of a pigeon. Someone once told me that where a rat's snout fits through, the whole body fits through. So sorry for your loss!

Sounds logical, as a rat has no fangs to ripp the body apart.