lost one chicken; ate only rear end

[cfs]

Hi. I am trying to find out what got into my coop and ate the back of one of my chickens. I had six chickens and two guinea fowl in there. It is a chain link dog kennel with roof. No signs of digging under so either it was a weasle that fit through the chain link or a racoon somehow squeezed under the roof. What would eat just the rear end and only kill one chicken? Thanks so much for the help! I have to figure out how to predator proof this coop.
Cheryl

 

[Kittymomma]

Hi and

With no signs of forced entry and only one hen killed my guess it it was your other chickens. It's hard to say for sure, but if I was going to guess, and I am, she probably prolapsed and the others started pecking at the red protrusion from her vent and killed her. I'm sorry for your loss, it's always hard.

 

[cfs]

I forgot to mention there were feathers EVERYWHERE, starting outside the coop (got through chain link). The feathers were mostly from the two Guinea who must have flown around frantically for quite a while. This is what makes me suspicious.

 

[gckiddhouse]

I don't know where you are, but around here, bobcats, and raccoons will reach through the chain link and get a hold of the chicken. If the chicken was near the fence, something could have gotten a hold of it, but was unable to get it all the way through the fence. If you found the chicken somewhere besides next to the fence, it may have tried to move or the others may have moved it pecking at it.
So sorry for your loss. It always sucks to go out to find a massacre in your coop.

We recently had a pack of coyotes dig under our chain link and take 5 of our 9 chickens.

It's infuriating!!

 

[cfs]

Thank you both for the information. I am learning to deal with their deaths (lost some while free ranging in the past), but it is so hard when they are just so friendly and cute! They come when I call them and talk to me and let me hold and pet them etc. This one was found by the fence so that is an interesting point and I kept finding racoon prints in the snow near the coop but never had an issue. I am in Maryland and I know I have racoons but they never bothered them. The snow probably makes them very hungry too as we have had record breaking snow so there are hungry animals out there. How sad. I think I will cover with hardware cloth anyway since I know I have weasles too and it is just a matter of time I guess. I have had them two years though and no inside coop issues until now.

 

[12GAGirl]

opossum if I had to guess

 

[OkieDave]

possum.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

What would eat just the rear end and only kill one chicken?

Another vote for possums​

 

[cfs]

Good to know. So possoms can climb the chain link fence and squeeze underneath the tarp for the roof that is tied down but has gaps? Any suggestions out there for how to raccon/possom proof the roof? Can I attach hardware cloth somehow on boards or something and then have the tarp on top of that? The sides are chain link fence and hardware cloth.
Cheryl

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

how to raccon/possom proof the roof

?

One way would be electric fencing. A couple of hot wires around the fence would keep them from climbing in.​