Help! Daytime Predator Identification *graphic* Photos

[Joeski510]

Please help me identify this daytime predator. My chickens free range in the backyard during the day and are surrounded by a 6ft fence. It killed my black copper maran last week during the middle of the day. Today I returned home and it killed my mottled houdan. Both chickens had the same injuries. Head and neck chewed and eaten up but the body left whole and intact. I only have one chicken left now and I’m afraid to let it out of its coop now. If I can’t figure out how to protect my chickens I will have to give up the last chicken to someone who can.

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry for your loss.
Was the chest eaten as well? Any deep punctures? Tail missing?

 

[Joeski510]

Sorry for your loss.
Was the chest eaten as well? Any deep punctures? Tail missing?

Nothing else eaten but the head and neck. Some feathers missing from the back but that’s all

 

[nuthatched]

Nothing else eaten but the head and neck. Some feathers missing from the back but that’s all

Sounds like raptors, I'm sorry

 

[Joeski510]

Sounds like raptors, I'm sorry

Thank you for your help and kind words

 

[MysteryChicken]

I had a skunk do this, but it ate the brains, & left the beak attached.

 

[Joeski510]

I had a skunk do this, but it ate the brains, & left the beak attached.

Interesting. I didn’t smell anything like a skunk near where I found the body. I would think the chicken could evade a skunk if in a open yard no?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Interesting. I didn’t smell anything like a skunk near where I found the body. I would think the chicken could evade a skunk if in a open yard no?

You don't always smell them, especially if they haven't sprayed previously.

Depends on the situation. If the chicken is caught off guard it could be possible one would get one in a large open yard.

 

[SunriseChickers]

This looks exactly like how a mink left several of our chickens over the years. Neck "stripped", and head chewed. Those darn things can get through a 1" gap. We ended up mowing an ~8' perimeter around our run so that they could see things coming, and so the mink wouldn't feel as comfortable sneaking up. It worked somewhat.