Help please, something got my chicken and noone can figure it out.

[mmurry1]

I have read many different web sites predator descriptions and I cannot figure this one out. Sometime between when the chickens were locked up last night and when they were fed this morning, one apparently didn't come in last night and was killed. Her head, neck and spine are intact and the head and neck have the skin still on but it's not loose. It's like something sucked the blood out and the skin is sucked up to the bones. My kids said the head and neck look like they are petrified. The body cavity seems to be pretty well cleaned out but it looks like the gizzard (I think) is still there attached. Her wings and feet are still attached and seem pretty much untouched also.

 

[teach1rusl]

Eewww!!! I'll be keeping an eye on this one. At first I thought maybe weasel, but upon more reading, the head intact doesn't work with that...

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

eeewww! makes me think of Count Dracula or something like that

 

[mmurry1]

Thank you for your replies. I was excited when I found this website thinking that it would be a good information network, but I guess I was wrong. I watched off and on all day and got very little response while others got tons of responses. I guess it's more for people who have been there forever and not so much for a newcomer. Well, I will keep checking back maybe someone else will notice me. I would really like to know what happen to my henny and I have tried multiple other ways, websites and books I just don't know where else to look.

 

[Tala]

Is it possible that she was out longer than you thought???
I'm thinking maybe dehydration in the air, or bugs like flies that lap up blood, or something besides the killer might account for her skin looking all shrunken up.

We're all pretty puzzled. The reason you aren't getting responses is just because nobody really knows, not because you are new.

 

[lavacaw]

Skunks will take off the head and suck the blood. Where are you located? Helps a little to know what the local predators are most likely to be.

 

[jsimplytx125]

My gosh, I don't have a clue either.........

.
I wonder if you have noticed her not eating, or looking thin? Does she look thin, btw? Have you looked for mites or other pests that would drain her, poor thing.

sorry it's in this situation that we meet.

 

[SallyF]

Quote:
Possibly no one else has had a similar situation. I've often hesitated to reply to something if I felt that my knowledge wasn't up to par. Don't give up on the website, and good luck identifying your problem. Sounds strange!

 

[HLAC]

Were there any wounds on her?

If I took a wild guess, I'd say it sounds more like she just happened to die and was very thin and dehydrated when it happened.

Just a guess...

I'm a noob too, don't take a lack of response as being shunned. I've been lurking around here long enough to know it seems to be a good (tho' eccentric) crowd.

 

[Boyd]

hm...... unless you do a postmortem and skin it it'd be hard to diagnose over the internet. Bruised or punctured flesh will be a giveaway.... and I agree with above post, could have been dehydrated for whatever reason before whatever happened happened.