fox,coyote, hawk ??

[critters]

I read an article to help id chicken predators but nothing fit the bill'...

my cochin silver lace full grown hen was killed..
her head was gone and one side of her breast was eaten away

i found her by following the feather trail from her coop....thru the lawn
and way into the horse field...

what could have gotten at her??

i live in the mountains of virginia and have many predators

 

[shmccarthy]

Fox will typically carry the prey away, leaving little to no evidence usually only feathers. They bury uneaten prey and save it for later meals.
Coyote will behave similar to dogs, and attack many at once, usually tearing apart and eating only one or two.
Hawk will land near or on prey, carrying smaller prey off. They will pin the prey down and eat the back/neck area first.

What yours sounds like to me is either a possum or a raccoon. Both will typically eat the head, especially possums. They favor the head and the insides. Raccoon will also commonly eat breast meat. Set a live trap baited with raw chicken and hopefully you can catch it!

 

[critters]

thanks for your insight!

 

[redstar14]

I agree with shmccarthy