Dead chicken, ripped open but no blood?

[taryn_brockway]

This same exact thing happened to me last night. I’m stumped and have no idea what could have happened but my hens chest was ripped open with no other wounds on her. My 2 roosters and another hen are also gone. Feathers all over the property. What could have done this???

I’d also like to add that it couldn’t have been an owl or bird, there are footprints everywhere but can’t make them out because of the deep snow

 

[LaFleche]

This same exact thing happened to me last night. I’m stumped and have no idea what could have happened but my hens chest was ripped open with no other wounds on her. My 2 roosters and another hen are also gone. Feathers all over the property. What could have done this???

Welcome to the BYC community!

I am sorry your lost your birds. As we are trying to determine who took/killed them, please allow some questions first.

Where is your general location?

Do you let your birds free range or are they penned up? Pen/run covered with netting?

Looking at the feathers that were left behind, are there kinks in the feather shafts or do they look normal?

In what pattern did you find them? All in one place or rather strewn about?

Installing game cameras can tell you who is hunting your birds and how to protect them.

 

[Penpal]

I have had trouble with weasels. They killed one and ate it. One. They only kill several if the chicks/chickens are in an enclosure. They try to pull it out through the chicken wire but it won't fit. So they kill another. They never figure it out. They will even hide bodies so they can come back later and get it. This is one reason to use hardware cloth rather than chicken wire, because weasels can't get through the hardware cloth.

It may have been a weasel. They lick the blood up.