Chickens killed with only heads eat

[sbassinger12]

Thank you so much for the info! We lost our polish chick last night. Found her dead right by the fence and only her head was missing. Such a shame that we lost our most beautiful bird!

 

[01steven]

Lost one first night I put them in the pen. Possum got her. Spent next day covering the entire top with wire. No problems since.

 

[The Farm]

What would have done this to a pigeon that can fly and a pullet? They both could fly very well.???

 

[pinusresinosa]

Owls will eat just the head, and the body will be near a wall or fence when this happens. Next to a house, coop, fence etc. Not in the open. They'll do this habitually night after night if they can too. Had this happen to us last year, so we waited up one night after we lost three ducks on consecutive nights. Watched it almost happen again until we saw what it was and went running outside and scared the living daylights out of it... never had it come back, but we now close up our ducks at night on all sides.

 

[Hunter69]

it was strange because the bodies were spread over 1/8 mi
Here's a list of predators in my area, FOX, COON,HAWK,
FISHER CAT, WEASEL,EAGLE,COYOTE,OWL..........
YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE A MOUSE,RABBIT OR CHICKEN AROUND HERE

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
i had an owl that did this.

I THINK IT IS AN OWL.

 

[roymchll]

. We caught this last night. It killed 14 chickens early winter by decapitating them and drinking blood, then leaving the carcasses. I secured (or thought so) the coop and put the one survivor and 8 small ones back out and they were all killed two nights ago. We set a trap in the coop and caught this weasel. I hope this helps someone else.

 

[buckfarm]

believe it or not it 's an owl just finally caught one at 5:22 am this morning on camera. This was the 6th chicken it had killed in 3 weeks before we finally had the camera in the right place to see what it was. Don't know now how to get rid of the owl. I have had chickens for about 2 years and this is the first time i have had them eaten this way. Had a possum eating them before but i knew exactly what that was but never had any eaten like this. Anybody have any suggestions. I try to make sure I have them locked up at night but I had one pecked her throat even when I had them shut up at night.

 

[20736]

Place an eight-foot 4x4 upright in the ground about 18 inches.
Put a Number One spring trap on top of the post and bait with chicken necks or livers.
The owl will land on the top of the post to inspect bait and will get caught.
Check to see if you need a predatory relief permit in your jurisdiction if somebody can see your trap. like a noisy neighbor.
Good Luck.

 

[RhodeIsland Red]

The same happened to two of my chickens. I was told by other chicken owners that it was either a possum, skunk, or racoon that does this. They bite or snap the head off, before they begin to eat the chicken from the rear where the fatty part of the chicken is. Sorry for your loss of the chicken.