Headless flock

[ALWoodlands]

Second attack this year in daytime, late afternoon but it was dark pre storm. . Got 14 of my flock of 20 and a Roo. 7 disappeared totally. A few eaten. Rest heads separated. One dead but no noticeable wound. One found this morning in shock. She’s sleeping a lot in warm bathtub with towel and heat pad. Wont stand up. Thought she was dead at first. When to offer food? Only when she stands? She wakes up for liquid. Giving water with honey and rooster booster in syringe every couple of hours. We live in North Alabama and got down to 50 last night. High fence with small fencing 5 ft high. Think it is coyotes, foxes or weasles. Any ideas?

 

[muddy75]

Sorry for your loss. Sounds like raccoons to me.

 

[pennyJo1960]

My bet is a weasel they kill for fun tearing heads off.
Welcome to the Backyard Chickens.
Do you use Hardware cloth to keep them safe ?

 

[HKG]

I'm guessing weasel. Did it open the brain cavity?

 

[ALWoodlands]

No it did not open brain cavities. Not sure about hardware cloth but fence is pretty tall with very small holes. We think it’s a coyote pack attack as they carried off 6 hens and a rooster without a trace. Roo was big, about 30 ++ lbs and they carried him over the fence. No holes in fence. Today they found Roo carcas in the woods and his spine was partly eaten also. They saw a wolf once. It seems 16 or 17 chickens and a Roo is a lot for a weasel. I think it must be coyote, wolves or raccoons.

 

[ALWoodlands]

Well, five hens seem fine after bad coyote attack, but the older one found after a night in the woods is not really improving so we need to put her down. We wrapped her in towels and syringed her some vitamin/oregano water. She had vomit and the “ runs” when found after an apparent coyote pack attack. But after 24 hrs she sat in a normal position for a while and seemed to be improving from shock. Then next 24 hrs she had no poop and still did not want to eat or drink hardly at all. Gave her some coconut oil and massaged crop just in case, and she threw up and had the “runs” again. Still won’t sit up, stretched out on one side and looks dead but still breathing. Legs seem fine but she can’t stand or sit up. Looks like the varmints broke her back or hip. She’s about 4-5 + years and had quit laying but was a good broody Mom to new chicks we had. Any comments?

 

[ALWoodlands]

Ok

 

[Koko Acres]

We are also in north Alabama (Northeast) and we heard a bobcat a few nights ago. The missing heads sounds like raccoons, but it seems like it would’ve had to have been bigger than a raccoon to drag a roo that big. I’m sorry for your loss.

I’ll be glad to hatch you some more chicks from my Koko birds if you’re nearby. My Koko birds are the most predator savvy birds I’ve ever seen.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try making a chicken sling out of a Rubbermade container, a towel, and 4 binder clips. Make holes for the legs and a poop hole in the back. You can attach food and water right in front of her. Here is a link and you will find the design and a video in the first 2 pages:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

I lost a hen in mid afternoon when 2 hawks ganged up on a polish hen and decapitated her after they ran her into a chainlink fence. We also lost 3 large and small hens to a bobcat in mid afternoon. We happened to see it come back for one of the carcasses. Weasels are known to remove heads. I think raccoons will do that as well.

Can you make sure the survivors are safe and locked up, and use a game camera for a few days to see what is lurking outside the coop and run? Sorry for your loss.

 

[StinkyAcres]

+1 for raccoon. Sorry for your losses.