Mad and not sure what did it...

[Chatychick]

Well went out this morning to let the chickens out and looked in on my Silkies and WCBP just to do a head count as usual...well someone was missing, just figured since the rain last night and early this morning it was just to wet for it to come out...looked inside and there it was...something just basically chewed on its head and nothing else.. I think it was my only little hen too...

... Well went in to get it and all that is left is a mangled chewed spot wher the head was...I understand a coon will take the chicken and possums eat mainly the heads but this looks like it was maybe a baby possum and it really didnt know what it was doing...all the feathers are there ...just this mangled head...I dont understand if maybe the dogs in the other pen scared it and it just left after it gnawed on it a while and didnt even mess witht he other birds in there...got any ideas what it might be???Thanks

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Sounds like a possum or coon to me. Could've been a young one. Other possibilities are snakes, weasles, and minks. A small snake could have tried to swallow it, but then realized it was too big to take on.

 

[bobbieguyette]

could have been anything sounds mostly like a raccoon tho they love there heads and reach in the wire and wiggle there fingers to attract the chickens to think there fingers are food. anyway to lock them in the coop so you dont lose anymore? it will be back unfortunatly and dont want to see you lose anymore.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Sounds like a raccoon to me too.

 

[Poison Ivy]

I had several losses to raccoons and they only ate the head.

 

[Chatychick]

Well maybe I found out what is doing this...a Feral cat!...Well I set a trap and hopefully it likes tuna better than chicken heads...we shall see what the trap holds in the morning...I saw a cat outside just a bit ago and when I went out it took off...I moved the chickens to a different pen and they sure dont like it. Will let ya'll know when I catch something...dont ya just hate people that dump animals for others to take care of when they start attacking your feathered friends...Just chaps my hide...

 

[Chatychick]

Well its a Happy nite for the chickens at my house...caught what was doing damage to my silkies...
It was a Possum and its no longer a threat...So hopefully wont have any more problems for a while...

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

A possum will eat a chicken's head off? Wow, scary, as we have a possum skulking around our yard at night. No harm to chickens yet, but perhaps just a matter of time? So sorry for your loss, but good for you on catching the predator.

 

[aran]

chatychick awesome mate...how did you catch the mongrel? Im having the same problem at my place.