Help, please. Did a Turkey Vulture get my poor hen?

[Chrissayo]

We have had a Turkey Vulture circling around for several weeks now. They showed up when some road kill appeared on one of the main roads about a 1/4 mile away. I did my research but was still careful when it would come around.
We have 6 hens and a good rooster. They free range whenever we are home and we are usually outside too as are one or two or three of our dogs. All hens were alive and well this morning. I was in and out of the house most of the day but when I went to put them in the pen before I left I couldn't find one. Sadly what we did find was a pile of her feathers and some feathers from a larger bird too. Google says they are Turkey Vulture feathers. Google also says Turkey Vultures don't kill live chickens (usually). She definitely had a violent death and you can see the scratch marks she left on the larger bird's feathers; so definitely alive. The other aerial predators in the area that I have seen are redtails and great horned owls. Thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

The marks on the feathers look like Fret Marks to me, usually this is due to diet.

I can't say if a Turkey Vulture attacked your hen. In general Vultures feed of the dead, they also are no known to carry off their food source, instead feed where the body is.

Hawks do not carry off their victims either, usually they pluck on site, then eat the breast.

I would say you're dealing with some type of Canine type predator. Fox, Coyote, Dog. Could be Bobcat. Any of these will carry the bird away, sometimes leaving a scattering of feathers, sometimes not.

 

[Chrissayo]

I'm sorry for your loss.

The marks on the feathers look like Fret Marks to me, usually this is due to diet.

I can't say if a Turkey Vulture attacked your hen. In general Vultures feed of the dead, they also are no known to carry off their food source, instead feed where the body is.

Hawks do not carry off their victims either, usually they pluck on site, then eat the breast.

I would say you're dealing with some type of Canine type predator. Fox, Coyote, Dog. Could be Bobcat. Any of these will carry the bird away, sometimes leaving a scattering of feathers, sometimes not.

Interesting, thank you for the reply! Where would the large feathers have come from in this case? She was a light Brahma. Definitely those other feathers were not hers.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Interesting, thank you for the reply! Where would the large feathers have come from in this case? She was a light Brahma. Definitely those other feathers were not hers.

I don't know where they came from. Tail feathers?

 

[Chrissayo]

I don't know where they came from. Tail feathers?

Okay, I guess they could have been her tail feathers. She is mostly white but did have some a little black back there. Thank you again, we will keep the chickens in for awhile and keep an eye out for ground predators. Really appreciate the prespective.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Okay, I guess they could have been her tail feathers. She is mostly white but did have some a little black back there. Thank you again, we will keep the chickens in for awhile and keep an eye out for ground predators. Really appreciate the prespective.

Do you have any game cameras?

I'd set those up if you have them. Whatever came around, will be back. This helps you i.d. the predator anyway. You'd be surprised what hunts during the day.

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts too.

 

[nuthatched]

Feathers ripped out, especially tail feathers, indicates Canid attack. So sorry.

 

[Chrissayo]

Feathers ripped out, especially tail feathers, indicates Canid attack. So sorry.

Okay, thank you. That is helpful so we actually know what we are dealing with.

 

[Chrissayo]

Do you have any game cameras?

I'd set those up if you have them. Whatever came around, will be back. This helps you i.d. the predator anyway. You'd be surprised what hunts during the day.

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts too.

I do have one that I've never used, but I will put it up tomorrow for sure. I will keep the chickens in their fully enclosed pen in the meantime

 

[Project Blue]

I just want to say I've been dealing with predators for years. Most of the time it's dogs, even the family pet. Dogs know they are doing wrong. I've set up wildlife cameras and most wild animals will check a coop out but not spend more than a minute trying to get in. A dog will melt into the woods the minute a person shows up. I've watched on my phone in horror as a pit bull was doing its best to break into my coop. I was over an hour away and the minute I pulled up into the driveway the dog darted away into the woods. The cameras have been set up for months now and I would of never known it was dog without seeing on camera. It's pretty plain dogs are number 1 chicken killers. Turkey vultures are ungainly on land, a chicken could easily outmaneuver a vulture. Vultures don't swoop down on prey like owls and hawks. They are excellent soarers but not agile in tight turns or landings. Again, a chicken would see a vulture coming long before it could land. Turkey vultures are way smarter and kinder than people know. One time a car in front of me hit a vulture injuring it and drove off. I got out of my car and without thinking picked it up and moved it to the side of the road. It didn't try to hurt me and looked at me with frightened eyes but kind looking eyes. I drove off thinking about what to do and went back to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator but couldn't catch it. Not sure that was a good idea trying to drive with a giant bird flapping about to start with. That said, black turkey vultures will actually kill newborn calves. I didn't believe it, but had it happen on my own farm. They somehow figured out there's a moment of vulnerability before the calf gets up. Probably evolved from grabbing the placenta and eating stillborn calves. Anyhow, turkey vultures are in trouble from lead and other poisons and somewhat invasive black vultures. But all said, eating carrion makes the world healthier place.