Headless chickens!

[lotz2612]

Hi

I was left on my own this weekend while parents and brother went up to scotland. Saturday morning I opened up the chicken coup to let them out...usually they all fly at me and I try and count them all out! This time there was fewer than I had counted the day before...so I looked in..and screemed! All of our 'layers' were sitting on eggs...like usual...HEADLESS!!! Bodies perfectly normal, no feathers dotted around the place...but no heads!

We have lost a few chickens a couple of years back due to foxes...but that was very obvious as there were bodies scattered around the place and feathers everywhere...but this time was very different...heads were cut clean right off, bodies left as was...it was like someone has come in and just cut their heads off with a big pair of scissors...no blood...nothing!

Has anyone else had this before...or does soemone REALLY have it in for me and likes chicken head for their dinner?

 

[sgtmom52]

I'm sorry that you lost your girls .

Do you have weasels where you live? They will kill by taking off the heads and drinking the blood.

And

 

[pontoosuc]

Geeze, what an awful thing to find. Sorry for your loss. I'm not a predator expert, but I have heard that raccoons will take just heads and leave the rest.

 

[BethieofVA]

Wow! RIght out of a horror movie. How awful. I too had read that some coons will take only the head.

 

[lotz2612]

Not sure I get raccoons where I live (in the UK!) Havnt seen any weasels either...stoats maybe?

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
Stoats would be about the same as weasels and would do the same damage.

 

[JohnL11935]

I'm not sure what stoats are but in the states this sight is typical of a raccoon kill. Raccoons will quickly pull the heads off several birds and the come back for their feast. You may have interrupted them before they could eat.

Regardless, it is important that you find out how they gained entrance to your coop and remedy that as soon as possible. You may also consider setting a trap outside the coop for the next time you have an unexpected visitor. Google the "Have a Heart" traps for suggestions.

 

[Filmgeek]

That's terrible! I'm so sorry.

 

[oesdog]

Honesty guys THERE ARE NO RACOONS IN SCOTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has to be a weasel , stoat or mink.

OR – An evil midnight axe murderer - ?????????????????

Sorry for your loss – don’t get upset about Racoons - unless the local zoo lost some????
YOU DO NOT HAVE A RACOON INFESTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oesdog

 

[1_FnkyFrm]

Sorry for your loss. Im going to guess Stoats from what I just googled. They look like they could cause all kinds of damage. I would be setting some traps soon...