Birds killed in coop but not eaten(graphic description)

[Blacknight30]

I had 3 barred rocks, a roo and 2 hens, my wife went in after work to let them out to range and check the food and water, she found the roo and larger hen dead. I went to get a closer look and clean up the birds and found the roo missing his hackel feathers and a at the base if the skull and the hen missing her head(found it later between the outside barn boards and the inside plywood, the biggest hole is between an inch and an inch and a half, not sure what would do this, they were 6 months old, though hadn't found any eggs yet. No skunky or musty smell, down to one hen now. Any ideas as to what might have done that?

 

[Debbi]

Sorry for your loss! That sounds typical of a racoon attack. Are you sure the only hole is 1 1/2 inches big? If it is the only hole, he could have reached in and grabbed them, but it sounds like it may have gotten all the way into the coop. Other thought, in that case, would be a weasel. Make sure to patch up all holes!

 

[woodmort]

From the size of the entry and the detail of the injuries I'm betting a weasel or mink. They can get in through a hole of a little more than a half an inch(weasel) and kill by severing the jugular, generally without eating although they may take the head off and carry it away. I'd suggest a live trap using parts--the head will be enough--of the dead bird for bait. They will come back for it.

 

[Blacknight30]

Thanks, decided to start over for now and build a coop with an old topper till i have time to patch things up, I built the previous one in what used to be an old wooden corn crib with a concrete floor. My neighbor is already trapping gophers/moles on my property for a bounty on them, he's offered to trap the barn since the remaining hen is being kept in a crate with a second crate as a day run in the garden(crates are metal oversized dog crates), till I get the new coop built. Also not not as much blood as I would have expected.

 

[woodmort]

Weasels will lap up the blood--when mine were killed there was so little blood I thought they'd died of natural causes. Hope the dog crate has real small mesh, remember half an inch is wide enough to for a weasel.

 

[WillieBoy]

Sorry for your lose...With a hole of 1 to 1 1/2 inch uncovered, i'd say a weasel/mink could get in easily. I find it a little hard to comprehend a weasel/mink getting through a hole of 1/2 inch. Perhaps a mouse or small rat could get through a 1/2 in. hole...
The wounds sound like the work of a weasel/mink as well.Good luck catching the vermin..!