dead hen

[snowstar5]

My hen died and there where feathers every where. the head was missing but the body was still there no blood just a clean cut. there was a animal print that looked like a fox but there hasn't been a fox there for years. what could it be?

 

[Johnn]

Stoat or Weasel maybes? You should try posting in the "Predetors and Pests" section. I'm sure someone in there will give you a answer.

 

[Johnn]

Oh and sorry about your loss!

 

[cowsr4eating]

I've had foxes do that to my chickens before, and I've gone a year or more at a time without seeing them. We've actually put up a game camera before to try and figure out what was getting ours. I think you can get them online fairly inexpensive these days. You just want one that works at night as well as day. I'm so sorry!

 

[snowstar5]

Thank you guys she was my favorite but she got picked on a lot so she's in a good place. I will do that Johnn. thanks again guys.

 

[chickenlover237]

I had this exact same problem, my favorite rooster was attacked, taken right out of the coop, cleaned out, no blood, head missing and eaten bare, there were no prints though, we suspected Possum or Raccoon because those are the animals in the area that hunt mainly at night.

 

[snowstar5]

I have not been back to my barn yet but hopefully my other chickens are still there.

 

[lghrnlvr]

Ive heard that raccons will rip off the heads and leave the bodies behind.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Raccoon, stoat, or weasel are the #1 culprits for just taking the head. You might try putting out a HavAHart trap baited with the body of your dead chicken.

If you catch something, PLEASE kill it--never relocate. What you caught may never go into a trap again, so if you relocate, you've basically turned your predator problem into someone else's predator problem, except now they have a raccoon with a taste for chicken that can't be trapped.