Hen's body found - what did this?

[ChickMandy]

A couple of days ago I posted that we lost one of our pullets in broad daylight. Everyone was so helpful with suggestions of what could've taken her, especially since we couldn't find head nor tail feather of her.

Today a rotting smell, right under the trees by the coop no less, brought my DH to her body. She was fully intact, except for a gash across the side of her neck. Whatever cut her open, ate the inside of her neck area, but didn't touch any other part of her.

Any ideas what that could've been??

We are surrounded by farmer's fields, but have a tree line of mature white spruce. The underbrush is very thick and low, so it can be hard to see under. My daughter often crawls through there if we have trouble retrieving the chickens.

Is this something that would be living in the trees, or the fields?

Any help is appreciated. DH is working on making a covered run for them, but at the moment they are free ranging, with supervision.

 

[wayneh]

Living in the country like you do, it could be many things. I have heard all kinda stories about how this varmit eats this way and that varmit eats this way. Most of the time, if your chick is just killed, its someone's dog. Most wild varmits will at least eat parts, dogs just kill.

 

[bryan99705]

Possibly a interupted fox, they will race thru, snatch a bird and stop at the brushline to pluck the feathers before they eat it. Might consider electric fencing. Problem is once you've been found by a predator, they don't stop till you run out of birds