Help ID'ing a Predator? Warning...graphic pics

[Trina Bambina]

We lost our first cockerel to a predator today...I took pics once we finally found it...am I allowed to post them here to see if you can help me id the killer?

My husband let the older birds out this afternoon (they are 8-10 weeks old, and have been free ranging the woods for the last week and a half). When he went to check on them, he found most of them hiding frozen under a big azalea and four others missing. Three eventually showed up and we found the fourth in the woods about 100' from the run, and about 2' from a spray of feathers. His head was flipped back, and there was a tear from the base of his head back down to his shoulder. It was already stiff, so I would guess that it had been killed pretty close to when my husband came outside.

Any help you could give would be appreciated so we can protect the other birds.

Thanks!

 

[redsoxs]

Yes, post a pic - that will help with the ID. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Trina Bambina]

Thank you

 

[plm6846]

We lost our first to a predator 2 days ago. We free range our girls (and Bob our Roo) every day and in the afternoon they self place themselves into the run. Yesterday we noticed them huddled in a bunch by our Mini horses stall and Bob was keeping them tight. My son in law took a count and we were missing one. In looking, found a bundle of feathers and nothing else. Surely not a hawk, but our neighbor saw a cyote in the area the day before. Our girls are not fazed by dogs since we have five. Just don't know why one of the dogs didn't alert us to the problem..the one time we were all inside a sneaky something wild took one of our girlsm in the middle of the afternoon too. We now have one of the children babysit them when they are out...very sad...I love these stupid chickens!! I am even beginning to build another coop for the two girls we originally had that are not allowed to mix with the others...I hate predators!! We raised these Americannas and RIRs from day old chicks and we are quite attached.

 

[Trina Bambina]

Thank you for your reply.

So I was letting them out more in the afternoon, because I had read that people were losing them in the am to predators...did read that wrong and afternoons are worse? It would be easier if they stayed together, but we have lots of cockerels and they split up in small groups and take off. I think I may let them out in smaller groups and keep a kid out with them. Thanks for the help!

 

[Liane]

Looks like a territorial attack. A predator would have eaten the bird, or at least dragged it away for later. Where abouts do you live? We have Fishers that would do that sort of damage. Sorry for your loss

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

So sorry for your loss.