Found a dead hen today

[SerrarGett]

In my experience owls and hawks pluck out a lot of feathers and start eating at the neck and breast area.
I don't know what would just chew on the thigh like that, maybe a skunk or opossum? I'm not familiar with those kind of kills. Hopefully someone else more experienced will be along to help you with that.

I don't think it could've been a skunk. When they do kill chickens, it's usually on the defensive. I don't see any evidence of a fight, so it is likely that the predator was targeting the birds. I'm very sorry for your loss, OP.

 

[parvani]

It might be, but I don't think weasels inhabit the eastern side of Virginia. We will definitely keep a watch out though and get some cloth just in case.

I didn't think weasels lived in urban Portland Oregon either. I was wrong. You may be too.

 

[hennanny]

free range and left over night.. thats begging for trouble and if it was any type of wild animal you can count on it being back.. JMO here that's just plain irresponsible

 

[Peggysaurus]

free range and left over night.. thats begging for trouble and if it was any type of wild animal you can count on it being back.. JMO here that's just plain irresponsible

I don't think you read the post correctly. We NEVER let them free-range at night. We always put them in when we let our dog out at 9:00, they go in by themselves. We just happened to be gone for the afternoon and we came home at dusk. That was when it happened. We love our hens and we ALWAYS lock them up at night.

 

[hennanny]

I don't think you read the post correctly. We NEVER let them free-range at night. We always put them in when we let our dog out at 9:00, they go in by themselves. We just happened to be gone for the afternoon and we came home at dusk. That was when it happened. We love our hens and we ALWAYS lock them up at night.

my bad..sorry for the lack of reading comprehension

 

[PepsiCatt]

To prevent it from happening in the future, never leave your chickens out overnight.
Since you said free range, I assume you didn't lock them up. So if I'm incorrect, please say.
Predators know when humans are not home. I was late coming home from work, my daughter had went to college, and my whole flock was massacred during the day by a fox.

Me: goes to friends house and trusts mom to put up the chickens
Me: goes out in the mourning to let out the chickens, expecting them to be alive
Pumpkin's decapitated body: Allow us to introduce our selves