Decapitated hen

[dallenk]

The New Hampshire Red hen was lying in the middle of the chicken run when I went out this morning to let the flock into the backyard. She was missing her head and part of her breast had been chewed away. The other hens had been out of the coop and in the run for a few hours before I found her, and I couldn't see any evidence that they had cannibalized their sister, nor could I find a detached head anywhere in the coop or the run. I can't imagine what creature could have done this inside our locked and presumed critter-proofed chicken yard. I just hope she was already dead before whatever started gnawing on her.

 

[TwentyOneChickens]

The New Hampshire Red hen was lying in the middle of the chicken run when I went out this morning to let the flock into the backyard. She was missing her head and part of her breast had been chewed away. The other hens had been out of the coop and in the run for a few hours before I found her, and I couldn't see any evidence that they had cannibalized their sister, nor could I find a detached head anywhere in the coop or the run. I can't imagine what creature could have done this inside our locked and presumed critter-proofed chicken yard. I just hope she was already dead before whatever started gnawing on her.

I am so sorry!

Can you find any chewed areas in the coop or any openings a predator could've squeezed through?
This must be horrible.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm so sorry for your loss! It's very hard to think about how they die from a predator attack. It's brutal in the wild. I read in a thread recently there is a specific predator who takes the head off and eats the crop. Can't remember which critter that was...maybe raccoon?

You do need to find the breach in your coop and run where it got in, or this will be a regular occurrence. Do you have a game camera you can set up?

 

[dallenk]

I am so sorry!

Can you find any chewed areas in the coop or any openings a predator could've squeezed through?
This must be horrible.

I am so sorry!

Can you find any chewed areas in the coop or any openings a predator could've squeezed through?
This must be horrible.

Thank you. We found the opening and fixed it. I think I'll lock the hens in the coop tonight as a double protection from predators. I think it was a raccoon. They are so clever; I have had them slide the bolts on my rabbit hutches before I changed the locking mechanism.

 

[dallenk]

I'm so sorry for your loss! It's very hard to think about how they die from a predator attack. It's brutal in the wild. I read in a thread recently there is a specific predator who takes the head off and eats the crop. Can't remember which critter that was...maybe raccoon?

You do need to find the breach in your coop and run where it got in, or this will be a regular occurrence. Do you have a game camera you can set up?

Thank you. I think you are right about the raccoon. I found an opening into the run. The hen has been roosting in the doorway of the coop for the last couple of months. I'm closing the coop door into the run tonight.

 

[pennyJo1960]

really racoon usually run off with them I wonder do you have aerial predators ?

 

[NanaKat]

Another predator that takes off the head and partially eats the breast meat....a skunk chews thru the neck, eats the head for the brain and then sucks the blood from the wounds. The rest of the body is left behind.
Usually Skunks will take the easier choice of eating eggs, but they are adept at catching young birds.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

That’s what I was going to say..skunk...we’ve been warned here because our ducks are free range..so everyone tells us which critter will do wat..skunks do a number like that and leave a mess..I’m so sorry

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Owls, and raccoons. We lost a few birds this summer. They were missing their heads. We eventually figured out it was a big mama coon and her kits.

 

[ValerieJ]

Another predator that takes off the head and partially eats the breast meat....a skunk chews thru the neck, eats the head for the brain and then sucks the blood from the wounds. The rest of the body is left behind.
Usually Skunks will take the easier choice of eating eggs, but they are adept at catching young birds.

Yep. That's the one I think someone else mentioned!