Chicken with its head missing

[mitch1114]

Where the feeder is is where the chicken was. Its head was under the coop up to its shoulders. Do chickens have shoulders?

 

[mitch1114]

Of you have a game camera, put it up. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and it will be back then you will know what you're dealing with.

We have a game cam. I mentioned to my husband about putting it up to catch whatever it is.

 

[Howard E]

So you have a couple inches of space under the coop........what is on the other side of the coop opposite the run? Is it open to the world or enclosed?

If open, could be any number of predators....skunks, possums, weasels or mink. Skunks and possums not normally taking head off and eating nothing else like breast meat or entrails. Weasels and mink would take the head off, but rare that only one bird would be killed. I assume the coop is left open at night to the run? That would also explain the bird wedged under the coop......predator was dragging it out the same way it got in, but chicken too large to fit under the coop.

If space under coop is closed, and no other way in, then it has to be something that can fit through 2 x 4 wire. That about leaves a mink or weasel......again head missing, but odd only one dead bird.......and explains them attempting to make off with it or at least drag it to a safe spot under the coop.

Or one more option......killed by one predator and moved by another......the another maybe being rats dragging it under the coop. Do you have rats you know of? This one remote but possible......