Killed chicken and buried, mystery killer?

[blairctchickens]

Doing my chicken count last night and saw I had a missing hen. After a thorough search of the run, I found her buried in my compost bin (yes in the run) with just her feet sticking out. I unearthed the hen and found her back tore out and the innards eaten. The head, neck and all the feathers were still intact. Time of the attack was just before dusk. I have 16 other surviving girls and one rooster (Coward lol) and none show any signs of stress or injuries. I set a trap to catch the killer, and after a couple hours I went to check the trap and saw a possum checking it out. My question is; would the possum do this type of killing or do I have something else lurking around? I have lots of neighborhood cats running around, could it be one of them?

 

[The Angry Hen]

Opossum are prone to being killers. They can do a lot of harm and are no longer welcome on my property. Personally... I'm not sure about the burying part though.

I am terribly sorry for you loss, this must be very hard to figure out along with get over. My only question is- was the hen decapitated?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Doing my chicken count last night and saw I had a missing hen. After a thorough search of the run, I found her buried in my compost bin (yes in the run) with just her feet sticking out. I unearthed the hen and found her back tore out and the innards eaten. The head, neck and all the feathers were still intact. Time of the attack was just before dusk. I have 16 other surviving girls and one rooster (Coward lol) and none show any signs of stress or injuries. I set a trap to catch the killer, and after a couple hours I went to check the trap and saw a possum checking it out. My question is; would the possum do this type of killing or do I have something else lurking around? I have lots of neighborhood cats running around, could it be one of them?

I am pretty sure mountain lions do that if they are full.... but why not just carry it off?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Sorry about your hen by the way. Do you not shut up the run at night?

 

[blairctchickens]

the head is still attached, I live in North East Kansas in the suburbs, so I do not think it is a mountain lion LOL! I also shut the chickens in the coop every night.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My guess is a bobcat. They tend to bury any remains so they can return and eat them later. It has all the signs and where you are you should have bobcats, even in the suburbs.

It is standard for possum, raccoons, and other critters to all hunt and forage in the same areas. When I see signs of a raccoon and set the trap I often catch a possum or two before I finally get the raccoon. Just because you saw that possum does not make him much of a suspect. Since it was buried, suspect a bobcat.

 

[blairctchickens]

I have some friends tell me they have seen a bobcat in the neighborhood but mainly near where the farm fields are at. Guess will see what the trap catches and the mystery can be solved!

 

[sourland]

A possum will kill and eat like that, but I have never known of them to cache a kill. Cats/bobcats or fox are more likely to bury kills. Whatever it was, be prepared for it to return.

 

[blairctchickens]

Might have to get a bigger trap!! Well as long as it not much bigger than a large possum or larger cat.

 

[chickens really]

Sounds like a Fox to me......They burry food....