dead rooster in coop

[old biddy]

In addition to my own chickens, guinea fowl and peafowl I also take care of my neighbor's chickens and guinea fowl. This morning I went by his farm to check on his chickens and found his rooster dead on the floor of the coop. There was no sign of entry...the two hens who reside with the rooster were fine. Whatever killed the rooster devoured his internal organs...the rest of the carcass was left whole. What type of predator would do this?

 

[chickens really]

The two Hens...He possibly died and thrashed around so they attacked him and ate him. Possibly he had a heart attack.

 

[casportpony]

What type of predator would do this?

Sorry for your friends loss. I have seen skunks, opossum, and raccoons do this, and I think maybe mink and weasels would do this too.

There was no sign of entry...

Check very carefully for small holes because many of the small predators can squeeze through them (I have seen skunks go through 2" x 4" welded wire as well as 2" aviary netting.

 

[50-45-1]

a possum will eat the intestines. is there a hole big enough for a possum to enter at night?
maybe not closed in a coop at night?
what ever it was will return for more. the hens may be next if left open at night.

 

[cmom]

Sorry for the loss. If you have a game camera, put it up. Once a predator makes a kill, it will be back for more then you then will know what you're dealing with.

 

[old biddy]

The two Hens...He possibly died and thrashed around so they attacked him and ate him. Possibly he had a heart attack.

Actually, that was the first thing I thought of...upon finding the dead rooster I suspiciously looked up at the two girls sitting on the roost, looking down at me and Dos (the rooster)... then I thought "well that's just a crazy thought." But then...

 

[chickens really]

Actually, that was the first thing I thought of...upon finding the dead rooster I suspiciously looked up at the two girls sitting on the roost, looking down at me and Dos (the rooster)... then I thought "well that's just a crazy thought." But then...

Yes...Unfortunately they do those things..

 

[old biddy]

Sorry for your friends loss. I have seen skunks, opossum, and raccoons do this, and I think maybe mink and weasels would do this too.

Check very carefully for small holes because many of the small predators can squeeze through them (I have seen skunks go through 2" x 4" welded wire as well as 2" aviary netting.

I have had a possum get into my chicken pen before and kill a hen that I had in quarantine. At first I didn't know what had done it so I put a small animal trap in the pen the next night and, sure enough, in the morning there was the possum. I was shocked that it could get through the very small space between the chain link fence and the shade cloth that was stretched over the top of it. But there it was. Perhaps it was a possum that got my neighbor's rooster after all.

 

[sourland]

This was very likely the work of an opossum.

 

[old biddy]

a possum will eat the intestines. is there a hole big enough for a possum to enter at night?
maybe not closed in a coop at night?
what ever it was will return for more. the hens may be next if left open at night.

The coop has slatted boards with spaces 1" - 1 1/2" inches between them. There may be a place here or there that had even slightly more space so I think a small possum could get in. I have removed the hens from my neighbor's coop and brought them home to my farm until he makes the coop more predator proof. I recommended that he cover the boards with 1/2" hardware cloth.