dogs killing chickens

[Dee Dee 2]

I have read in some to the post that dogs kill for sport but do not eat the chickens. Something has killed 5 of my hens. All I ever find is the fuzzy butt feathers. I was pretty sure it was a stray dog but I would like to be sure. One of the hens was forced into the yard and my dogs killed it AND ATE EVERYTHING but a few feathers. Can some one share some more info. on this please.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

There are lots of things that will kill a hen and just leave feathers. It might even be a critter that it dragging the hen away to eat most of it somewhere else.

In my experience, stray dogs will take hens "home" to eat them. Coyotes will also drag hens away to eat them somewhere else. Other possibilities are raccoons. Weasels usually just eat part of the hen and leave the rest.

So many things love to eat chicken, it's hard to figure out what it could be. Are they being taken during the day or at night? Where are the hens when they're being killed, in a pasture, free ranging, in the hen house? If in the hen house, how is it secured? That will help narrow it down. You might also try to repost this question in the Predators and Pests forum.