(Content Warning) What Killed Our Hen?

[Davethebirdman]

Hi Everyone,

We're feeling pretty sad in our house tonight. Our beloved pullet (almost a hen), Tiggy Winkles, got killed today... we think. Tiggy was a Golden Comet/Red Star with the prettiest markings: she was a gorgeous rust color with a white, lacey collar around her neck (think RBG). She was a funny, clever, and social girl. We really loved her. She would get out of the run regularly and enjoy time free ranging around our yard (we have realized we need to make it more secure and we're feeling terrible about that- please no comments). She would usually come running to us when we came outside though, or, a bag of treats would lure her our way.

This morning I let the girls out of the coop at 7 am and she was there. Around late morning my ten-year-old daughter noticed that a couple of them were out and went outside to put them back in the run. She couldn't find Tiggy. I didn't worry too much at that point, but then I noticed an alarming text from our neighbor saying she feared something bad had happened to one of our chickens. When I asked why she said that she told me there were feathers all around her yard and she saw that one of them was missing.

My daughter and I ran outside and found tons of feathers all around her driveway, yard, and under a couple of trees. They were both shorter, fluffy feathers and long wing feathers. There were SO MANY of them : (. My poor daughter started sobbing... she is one of their primary caretakers and she is a little mama to them.

We looked all around several times, but we haven't seen any other sign of her. Is it even remotely possible that she's injured somewhere, but still alive? (I know that's a long shot.) Any idea what killed her? Somehow that's eating at me too. Thanks so much, BC community.

~ Lottie

I have Pepper spray on hand and I just used it on a weasel. Check carefully for any openings in the enclosure.

 

[Chickenclaude]

She’s gone. Doesn’t really matter what did it. It’s sad expecially for your daughter. Just take the time to secure the rest of your flock. Ck for openings including covering the run with netting or dear fencing or a tarp. We have red tailed hawks, owls and plenty of ground predators. I’m glad you did not find a body for the sake of your daughter. flying predators are FAST...they swoop before prey even know they are coming.

 

[50-45-1]

Possums don’t eat chickens only one breed of possum only eats chicks

Opossums certainly can and will kill and eat chickens. They are nighttime preditors.
They kill the chicken by biting the head and eat starting with the innards.
A kill during the day with only feathers left will be fox or coyote.
Dog will sometimes take the body but most times kill and leave it behind sorry for your loss.

 

[Danny188]

It more than likely some sort of canine probably a dog. They grab the hens and shake all the feathers off. Its really traumatizing to see all the feathers we had a dog attack ours last summer.

 

[August Coldwell]

My experience is limited to dogs, foxes, raccoons, and raptors. Raptors leave very few feathers. Dogs are the clumsiest. They leave feathers everywhere.