Is this sick work is of a hawk or ?

[rosiethechicken]

Very sadly, we lost one of our BR chicken today. We had 5 and live in urban area. Last night, they were all the in coop.
We have automatic coop door and I assumed they all came out this morning.
In the afternoon went out to give them some treats and only 4 showed up.
Went through the yard and found a dead chicken in the raspberry bushes. I dont see any wounds,
but feathers pulled out from bottom of neck and lower area to the belly.
Is this the work of hawk or other predator ? How come there are no wounds or anything ?
Did the chicken fall from the tree where hawk might be holding it ?
This is first time we are raising chickens and its very very sad to let go of one of the girls. :-(

 

[sourland]

Hawks are not strong enough to fly off with standard sized chickens; therefore, they will eat them on the ground right where they kill them. Hawks kill as much by impact as by the wounds they make. I would lean toward a hawk kill. Be prepared for the fact that the predator, whatever it is, will return. I would keep the survivors penned up for a week or so and after that only allow supervised free range time.

 

[rosiethechicken]

Thanks. I checked again and saw small wound on the bottom of the neck, right where crop is.
No other sign of eating.
I guess it is hawk. Such a waste of beautiful life

 

[caralynnp]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[HorizonSon]

Could be a opossium. They'll kill and kill without much eating.

 

[rosiethechicken]

I haven't seen any opossium around here in years though.

 

[Wifezilla]

Hawk or owl. Just lost a drake to a great horned owl the other day.