Killed bird and left it

[wesleyweasel]

This has me and my family puzzled. We live in a place full of bears and raccoons in Florida and have had problems with them in the past. Last night around 1am I heard a bang outside my window and ignored it. This morning I go outside and our white hen was dead but not eaten. My grandmother helped me get it put away but I couldn't tell any injuries (no contacts in) aside from hundreds of ants on the head (so I'm not sure if that was eaten... Likely with all the ants?). What could have done such a thing and leave the chicken relatively unharmed?

 

[Nupe]

In my experience, that would be a dog. Domesticated animals will instinctively kill, or play with to death but they don't realize it's food.

 

[Phaylen]

I have had racoons do what I call "Sport Kill." Literally, with no interest in eating the chickens but instead just killing and mutilating them. I had one even tear the legs off my hen and leave her lay there alive. It is the most barbaric, savage thing I have ever seen. The worst part is, coons are super cute, it took losing many chickens to give me the strength to shoot a coon in their defense.

 

[drumstick diva]

I have never though coons were cute. Maybe because I heard too much about the horrendous mutilation and suffering they cause. I just absolutely hate them. I know some folks trap them and drive elsewhere to release them. First it's against the law in most places and second the darn raccoon will return.

could the bang outside you window have been a chicken flying into the glass and getting killed? Chickens generally do not move in the dark but, it something spooked it badly it might have flown in panic. How sad.