Dog or cat or something else?

[PTA Chicks]

I live in suburbs. Everyone has fenced properties,some are electric fences. We have lost 3 chickens in the last week. 2 were babies and might have been taken by an eagle but disappeared without a trace. The other was a fully grown hen,easter egger,nice and big and strong. I found her with her insides ripped out and feathers all over the place. Her neck looked broken but her back and wings were intact. Could this be the work of a domestic cat? Or a dog? It is likely there is a genet or mongoose type animal in the are since we do have mostly acre sized properties, but I've not seen it.

 

[PTA Chicks]

We will be doing a perimeter search to see if there are any holes dug under fences

 

[365username]

I live in suburbs. Everyone has fenced properties,some are electric fences. We have lost 3 chickens in the last week. 2 were babies and might have been taken by an eagle but disappeared without a trace. The other was a fully grown hen,easter egger,nice and big and strong. I found her with her insides ripped out and feathers all over the place. Her neck looked broken but her back and wings were intact. Could this be the work of a domestic cat? Or a dog? It is likely there is a genet or mongoose type animal in the are since we do have mostly acre sized properties, but I've not seen it.

A dog would have been loud barking and would have made the hen scream you would have heard it as well not rip the insides out it would only bite it and possibly eat it but that’s not too likely, on the other hand a demestic cat would have done just what that animal did ripped the insides out and kill it silently then run off

 

[Painted Calls]

Cats don't rip the insides out of animals either. It sounds like a bird of prey. Watch a video of how they hunt and consume their prey.

 

[PTA Chicks]

We were not home so wouldn't have heard anything. The last few times an eagle took our birds (over a year ago), they took the entire bird with them leaving only feathers.

I will keep an eye out to see what's what but still doing the perimeter search since we have seen a stray dog on our property recently.

The chicken was bigger than my cat,who doesn't go near the birds,but again, plenty roaming cats on our property although mostly at night.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I'm so sorry for your losses. Hopefully you will catch the animal doing it soon!

 

[PTA Chicks]

I hope so too. For now,they are all locked up and grumpy about it.

 

[PTA Chicks]

On the positive side,I found one of the girls I thought was gone. She's hiding on a pile of eggs. All infertile and I can't physically reach her so will have to wait till she comes out to eat so I can grab her.

 

[50-45-1]

The kill you describe sounds similar to a racoon or possum kill here in the USA. are there similar species like these in south africa?
Do your chickens have a secure coop at night?
it also could be the work of a hawk or feral cat.
are the kills happening during the day or at night?