Help! What kind of predator does this?

[Mimsters]

Can you help me figure out what kind of predator killed my hen? My first fatality and my favorite. Found her tangled in (movable) fence like she was trying to get away. Only the meat of the neck was eaten to the bone and the entire body was attached. Feathers everywhere. Also found eggs on top of run, one busted, one bloody. Hens have never laid eggs anywhere but their nest boxes so I am so confused. I did not see any sign of digging around perimeter and nothing was in coop. I regret that I did not have electric fence turned on. We do have hawks around, live in the country, skunks, fox, coyote, etc. Any ideas of what happened or advice to prevent it from reoccurring? I turned the fence on! I’m so sad.

 

[H-B-O]

Ok so, could be racoon or skunk or coyote or fox my guess is that your chicken was standing bye the fence and the animal since the fence was not on they stuck there head in and got her. She was tangled because she was flailing around and the animal tried pulling it out resulting in tangling. Once she died the animal ate. So sorry for your loss

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Can you help me figure out what kind of predator killed my hen? My first fatality and my favorite. Found her tangled in (movable) fence like she was trying to get away. Only the meat of the neck was eaten to the bone and the entire body was attached. Feathers everywhere. Also found eggs on top of run, one busted, one bloody. Hens have never laid eggs anywhere but their nest boxes so I am so confused. I did not see any sign of digging around perimeter and nothing was in coop. I regret that I did not have electric fence turned on. We do have hawks around, live in the country, skunks, fox, coyote, etc. Any ideas of what happened or advice to prevent it from reoccurring? I turned the fence on! I’m so sad.

It could be a hawk, they are very bold.
But have you considered a weasel?
I know a farmer who had sixty baby chicks eaten by one, only one roo survived.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

I have had an owl hanging around recently, bugging the chooks. (Darn owl.)

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. It could have been most any predator. Not knowing where you live may also help because most of the same predaotrs are everywhere but there are a few that are in certain parts of the country. Was it during the day? Here most of the predators roam at night. Also it's that time of the year when many predators are out looking for mates or have young so out searching for food. If you have a game camera, put it up. The predator has probably been lurking looking for an opportunity and found one. I love my cameras. Good luck...

 

[bobbi-j]

A skunk got into my run a couple of weeks ago, killed a hen and only ate her neck. I’ve had mink do the same thing.

 

[cmom]

I had a skunk once try to dig under a gate to my chick/grow-out pen. The pop door was shut just enough and some of the chicks couldn't get into the coop and I got sidetracked and kind of forgot about them. When I remembered I went out to shut their pop door and I met a skunk digging. I tried to scare it off but it turned towards me and stomped it's feet. I went in and got my gun. I tried to scare it off again and again it turned towards me and stomped it's feet.. I eliminated it and put a bucket over it until I could deal with it in the morning and put the chicks in their coop. After that time and another time a fox digging under a gate and killing some birds, I put concrete under the gates.

 

[Chicks in VA]

id set traps because its going to come back mabye not tonight but soon . its most likely a skunk, weasel or racoon.

 

[AbelFarms]

If it ate only the neck then it's most likely a skunk! They are prone to doing that plus they'll get your chicks, ....

 

[Jenessa_09]

Can you help me figure out what kind of predator killed my hen? My first fatality and my favorite. Found her tangled in (movable) fence like she was trying to get away. Only the meat of the neck was eaten to the bone and the entire body was attached. Feathers everywhere. Also found eggs on top of run, one busted, one bloody. Hens have never laid eggs anywhere but their nest boxes so I am so confused. I did not see any sign of digging around perimeter and nothing was in coop. I regret that I did not have electric fence turned on. We do have hawks around, live in the country, skunks, fox, coyote, etc. Any ideas of what happened or advice to prevent it from reoccurring? I turned the fence on! I’m so sad.

When did this happen? During the day or the night? Also I posted some photos of a book I have all about chickens and possible predators! Hope this helped!