Chicken CSI - lost my juvi hen.

[DixieChicken78]

Found one of my young hens yesterday inside the pen dead. Feathers were everywhere. From her "waist" up her feathers were gone. She wasn't eaten or torn up. Two punctures on her breast. We found no tracks but there is a lot of dried grass in that area. She was left inside the pen and the fence wasn't damaged. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be so that we can deal with this predator?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Well, you said, "... She was left inside the pen and the fence wasn't damaged...." so I assume that there was no top on the pen.

Therefor I venture to say that it was a hawk or some other raptor because they typically pluck the feathers from a chicken before they begin feeding.

You know on CSI there are usually people taking snapshots of the crime scene and body, did you take any?

 

[REDNECK TRAPPER]

Could be a coon or possum.