Chickens(7) Killed (no heads) w/ Carcasses Scattered in Nearby Fields

[Kirk Williams]

Hi, we have a small flock of a dozen chickens that have been free-ranged with an open coop (I know, I know) for the past two years. Earlier today our dog was barking toward a soybean field across from our house. It appeared something was out in the middle of it. So I got dressed for cold weather and went to check it out. As I got closer I could tell it was a bird and was thinking that I may have to notify Indiana DNR officials depending on the type. Unfortunately, then I recognized the tail feathers of our rooster. His head was missing.

Then I noticed another out-of-place item in the field further away. Once again, it was another chicken carcass. I brought both chicken carcasses back to our place and went to the chicken coop out past the barn. As I approached I saw more carcasses scattered in the field behind our property and a single carcass in a neighbors field for a total of seven chickens with missing heads, some as far as 300+ feet from the coop.

Inspecting the carcasses while retrieving them some felt warm to the touch and what little blood I could find wasn’t frozen even with it being below freezing here the past few days.

Inspecting the inside of my chicken coop it looked like all hell had broken loose in there. Feathers everywhere, two broken heat lamps and other stuff knocked down or out of place.

What could have done this and carried the carcasses so far from the chicken coop?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Sounds like a fox or a weasel. Heads missing, body’s scattered, mess in the coop.

 

[centrarchid]

I bet the predator killed them where you found them. The deheading was a way to keep victims in place until able to come back and collect carcasses. Red Fox is a critter that would do such, especially if it has a lot of hard to handle birds. Odds are it had every intent to of hauling those birds off and it was watching you ruin its day.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I bet the predator killed them where you found them. The deheading was a way to keep victims in place until able to come back and collect carcasses. Red Fox is a critter that would do such, especially if it has a lot of hard to handle birds. Odds are it had every intent to of hauling those birds off and it was watching you ruin its day.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surplus_killing

To show what he means.

 

[Kirk Williams]

I bet the predator killed them where you found them. The deheading was a way to keep victims in place until able to come back and collect carcasses. Red Fox is a critter that would do such, especially if it has a lot of hard to handle birds. Odds are it had every intent to of hauling those birds off and it was watching you ruin its day.

YES! They were killed (I believe) where I found them. Each chicken carcass had feathers scattered on the ground all around it. I didn't know what was taking them so far from the coop but now it's making sense to me. Thank you.

 

[Kirk Williams]

Sounds like a fox or a weasel. Heads missing, body’s scattered, mess in the coop.

Thank you.

 

[centrarchid]

Birds likely took themselves to locations they were killed in effort to escape. Another possibility is killer caught them singly from coop to kill them in field, but did not find it practical to pile them in one tight location because in a hurry.

 

[50-45-1]

Is there snow where you are? Were there any tracks anywhere?
Owls remove the heads but dont kill multiple at once and do not move the carcus.
Fox usually take the whole body and you only find feathers. Dogs will kill entire flocks in minutes but dont eat the heads, usually maul the entire carcass . raccoon will eat more than the head. Are you certain this carnage just happened today? When did you last see the entire flock alive?
To find out for sure what it is leave a few birds in the coop and put up a trail cam. I am assuming all your chickens are dead? I am sorry for your loss but think you have been very fortunate that it took 2 years to happen.

 

[birdlover2]

Sorry for your loss. I've lost seven to one instance of predatation before, though mine were killed by a pair of dogs. Dogs don't take the heads, though they do mass kill, I've heard racoons take the heads but they don't mass kill. I agree that the culprit was probably fox, (don't know much about foxes, but two people have said fox, trusting they know more).

 

[Kirk Williams]

Is there snow where you are? Were there any tracks anywhere?
Are you certain this carnage just happened today? When did you last see the entire flock alive?
To find out for sure what it is leave a few birds in the coop and put up a trail cam. I am assuming all your chickens are dead? I am sorry for your loss but think you have been very fortunate that it took 2 years to happen.

- I searched for tracks in what little remaining snow pockets there are and had no luck.
- Yes, this took place last night or early this morning as all chickens were seen and counted last night.
- Five remaining chickens are locked in their coop with a trail cam set up.
Thank you for your reply.