bird eaten to the bone

[bluecoop]

Last night I forgot to close my coop door, feel terrible as I lost one of my favourite gals. This morning I heard the others clucking around the yard, knew I'd messed up and tried to corral them back in the coop, they didn't want to near it,noticed one was missing so went on the search.
I've had the odd problem with local dogs and lost a few to skunks but when I finally found the remains I have to say I was very shocked at the complete annihilation of the bird. Whatever had taken her had managed to get about 70 yards from the coop and then ate it on the little deck of my shed, everything was eaten except the wings, skeleton and feet, the flesh was stripped completely to the bone. I've never seen such a thorough job, seems overkill for a raccoon or skunk...any ideas..badger maybe?

 

[nightowl223]

Last night I forgot to close my coop door, feel terrible as I lost one of my favourite gals. This morning I heard the others clucking around the yard, knew I'd messed up and tried to corral them back in the coop, they didn't want to near it,noticed one was missing so went on the search.
I've had the odd problem with local dogs and lost a few to skunks but when I finally found the remains I have to say I was very shocked at the complete annihilation of the bird. Whatever had taken her had managed to get about 70 yards from the coop and then ate it on the little deck of my shed, everything was eaten except the wings, skeleton and feet, the flesh was stripped completely to the bone. I've never seen such a thorough job, seems overkill for a raccoon or skunk...any ideas..badger maybe?

I would bet on the raccoon, myself. I've seen it myself. I lost dozens of birds 2 years ago, an entire coop of great Light Brahmas, and had my favorite Frizzled Banty Cochin die in my arms while I was trying (desperately and without hope) to save her. I went to war on the raccoons, and we quickly discovered there were over a dozen coming in every night from nearly every direction! It was horrible! And, yes, they would clean the poor birds to the bone - apparently while they were alive, from the looks of my poor pet Frizzle! It was a nightmare that I continue to have, where I live, and I can only hope my two LGDs can now keep them away - along with better coop protection, and ammonia-soaked rags around the perimeter. I truly HATE raccoons!

 

[Below frigid]

Owl!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Absolutely an owl or maybe a hawk to include other raptors. This diagnosis only depends on the time of night or day that your bird was taken.

 

[Below frigid]

We have automatically closure door's on our 3 coops. We inherited a third coop with 4 hens and before we could get a automatic door a bobcat nabbed one of the hens. I nabbed the Bobcat same night. Coyote got Chicken Little last week, I was not sure what got her until I closed the gate and fence to keep the hens in. They were all going crazy early in the morning, I went out with the Mossberg but just saw his rear end running off. Going to get that #%@+%$

 

[Coop de Grass]

Last night I forgot to close my coop door, feel terrible as I lost one of my favourite gals. This morning I heard the others clucking around the yard, knew I'd messed up and tried to corral them back in the coop, they didn't want to near it,noticed one was missing so went on the search.
I've had the odd problem with local dogs and lost a few to skunks but when I finally found the remains I have to say I was very shocked at the complete annihilation of the bird. Whatever had taken her had managed to get about 70 yards from the coop and then ate it on the little deck of my shed, everything was eaten except the wings, skeleton and feet, the flesh was stripped completely to the bone. I've never seen such a thorough job, seems overkill for a raccoon or skunk...any ideas..badger maybe?

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I had a couple of close calls and invested in an automatic coop door. It worked except when I had chicks in the run and didn't get down there to close the run door in time. I was 15 minutes late and it was carnage. A hard lesson, but now I don't take chances.

It isn't possible to be perfect, some times you do everything right and you still lose chickens. Sending hugs.

 

[AllanVaught]

Hope you start feeling better soon!