Help me identify what killed my chicken in my backyard - missing head and crop, killed during the da

[ldyshrk]

Has anyone ever heard of hanging flashy, noiseless wind chimes as a hawk deterrent?

 

[grinningranny]

Not sure about wind chimes,but I was planning to try some of those flashy metalic banners that car lots use, and am planning to string them across the chicken yard. I found some on line that are 50 ft long plus 5 ft of cord on either end to tie to trees etc. for about $15.00 each. I'm a newbie, but I heard that they work as a flying predator deterent.

 

[ldyshrk]

I hung a spiders web of DVDs across the top of the enclosure. We needed the smaller run for our newbies. Fingers crossed it works!

 

[TheItyBittyBarn]

To me it sounds like either a mink, a fox, or possibly a hawk. Probably though one of the first two since they could pull the chicken through the fence. Minks tend to drag their prey so there is a great possibility of that.

And for the hawks you could definatly use some bird netting that they supply at Menards. Its not the prettiest thing but it definatly keeps those hawks in unwanted places.

 

[ldyshrk]

The reasons I don't think it was a mink or fox are:
-The fence you see in the pic wasn't up anywhere. It took place next to a solid wood fence surrounding the open yard( the pic is of a small side yard). What ever it was ripped the head neck and innerds right off the body with no help from a fence
- it then took those pieces to a higher spot on the near by deck, probably 5 feet off the ground.
- it was mid day
- it didn't go for the other 3 hens

Do any of these facts rule out mink or fox?

Do any of those predators eat the feathers? What ever it was didn't and spread feathers all over the yard. The bird was a silkie so I imagine the wind helped.

Ugh, I hate not knowing

 

[TheItyBittyBarn]

I was actually just reading another thread and it said exactly


Quote: This matches your description of the head and crop so I think we might have found a winner.
The only thing is though I am surprised it was out in the day, usually they hunt at night. I would set out raccoon traps unless you want to lose the rest of your flock. They are pretty violent and will stop at nothing. You can get live traps for them if you prefer that. You will want to act soon though because if it was hunting during the day there is a great chance that it may have rabies.

 

[ldyshrk]

The chickens weren't inside an enclosure, unless you consider our entire backyard an enclosure. And this happened almost a month ago with no other incidents. They now have an enclosure, not a super secure one, with spaces that a mink could get through no problem and I think a smart coon could get into too.

What ever it was either was super quiet not to wake the dog, or it was scary enough that she left it alone. That does make me think coon. But how often do you see coons during the daytime in the middle of the suburbs?

 

[TheItyBittyBarn]

Yes I was wondering why a coon would be out also. If it is a coon there would be only two reasons that it would be out during the day
1 it is super hungry
2 it is rabid
One time a raccoon got one of my favorite roosters that was in his pen. The raccoon drug my rooster over the fence and out about 20-30 feet into the woods. He also ate not very much. The more and more I think about it the more and more I think it is a raccoon.