Head removed, what am I looking at?

[xiggystardust]

Hey all, we’ve always only dealt with hawks and never had any ground predators. I’m looking for clues as to what kind of predator we are dealing with.

Lo and behold, this morning my one coop-sleeping chicken was pulled apart in the coop. The other chickens (all of whom sleep outside on a roosting bar about 4ft off the ground) are all fine. The coop chicken had her head removed, some of her guts gone. Thighs and legs, back and wings all intact (though back feathers were removed).

Is this indicative of anything in particular? I feel like a raccoon might have gone for the higher birds too. I can see that this predator slipped in likely on the ground, through a loose part of the wire fencing.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Hey all, we’ve always only dealt with hawks and never had any ground predators. I’m looking for clues as to what kind of predator we are dealing with.

Lo and behold, this morning my one coop-sleeping chicken was pulled apart in the coop. The other chickens (all of whom sleep outside on a roosting bar about 4ft off the ground) are all fine. The coop chicken had her head removed, some of her guts gone. Thighs and legs, back and wings all intact (though back feathers were removed).

Is this indicative of anything in particular? I feel like a raccoon might have gone for the higher birds too. I can see that this predator slipped in likely on the ground, through a loose part of the wire fencing.

Do you have weasels in your area, they will jump on their back and chew their heads off

 

[WoDia]

Sounds like a raccoon. I’m so sorry. They are known for killing any and every bird they can get their nasty little hands on. It went for the easiest target. The others may have been up too high for it to find a way to get them. Again, I’m so sorry about your hen. Please be very aware that the raccoon is coming back for sure. @RiDaGeckoGuy is right as well about it possibly being a weasel. A weasel will return as well.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hey all, we’ve always only dealt with hawks and never had any ground predators. I’m looking for clues as to what kind of predator we are dealing with.

Lo and behold, this morning my one coop-sleeping chicken was pulled apart in the coop. The other chickens (all of whom sleep outside on a roosting bar about 4ft off the ground) are all fine. The coop chicken had her head removed, some of her guts gone. Thighs and legs, back and wings all intact (though back feathers were removed).

Is this indicative of anything in particular? I feel like a raccoon might have gone for the higher birds too. I can see that this predator slipped in likely on the ground, through a loose part of the wire fencing.

From the sound of it, you’re looking at a dead bird.
Probably a weasel of some kind, they’re known for tearing heads off and eating organs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My guess is raccoon. Mozt of the bodies I've found from the 3 I had issues with before were all very similar in the destruction. They will be back, likely the next night. They're pretty relentless once they realize there are chickens in an area.

 

[xiggystardust]

OK, thanks all. I guess I’m going to invest in some hardware cloth. I know there’s no guarantee, but do you reckon it’s relatively safe to leave them in their current enclosure during the day and just stick them in the garage at night? I’d hate to force them to stay in a small cage for the long time it will probably take me to improve their coop…