Not sure if this is the correct thread, but found 2 of my hens dead this morning. *trigger warning, picture*

[eapxo12]

I went out this morning to let my chickens out of their coop, I found one laying in under their coop in the run (their coop is raised off the ground), with everything still attached but dead.

I then opened their chicken coop to find blood inside, and the same thing happened to that one. She wasn’t stiff like the other so it must’ve happened recently.

I’m blaming myself so bad right now.

We have 1 rooster (which we hatched from an egg ourselves) and we had 11 hens, one we are unsure of because we think it may possibly be another rooster.

I need some advice, my heart is broken. I love my chickens so much, but I can not keep my rooster if it is him doing this to them. He is only young, about 5 months. He is a lavender Orpington. Should we cull? How can I determine if it is, in fact, him?

You are unable to see in the photo, but her head is still attached.

 

[JadeFarms]

Well why do you think it’s him?

 

[EmtheFishLady]

I’m sorry about your loss. I am not clear about the injuries? Are there visible injuries on the birds?


I have rarely had a rooster actually injure a hen, much less kill one, so I would be surprised if it were him.

 

[sourland]

Looks like the work of a raptor.

 

[eapxo12]

I’m sorry about your loss. I am not clear about the injuries? Are there visible injuries on the birds?


I have rarely had a rooster actually injure a hen, much less kill one, so I would be surprised if it were him.

No, just the injuries you're able to see in the photo. Everything is still intact, just it's head is pretty mangled, and missing it's feathers.

 

[EmtheFishLady]

My first thought would be a mink or some rodent type critter. I’m gonna tag my husband, because he is the one who deals with pests here. I just make pets out of everything. @mississippifarmboy

 

[eapxo12]

My first thought would be a mink or some rodent type critter. I’m gonna tag my husband, because he is the one who deals with pests here. I just make pets out of everything. @mississippifarmboy

yes, me too. I am so attached to them, especially one little hen, a red sex link we have named dora, because she is so curious. The one in the photo is a black sex link, and the one we found dead in the coop was a barred rock.

 

[eapxo12]

Looks like the work of a raptor.

do you think it could've been my rooster, or another hen?

 

[EmtheFishLady]

One way to know for sure, you might stick a camera out there? We have one, it’s a wireless job, Arlo. I only use it when I need to monitor something without disturbing it, because it goes through batteries like nobodies business, but it is definitely one surefire way to rule out the rooster one way or another.

 

[eapxo12]

One way to know for sure, you might stick a camera out there? We have one, it’s a wireless job, Arlo. I only use it when I need to monitor something without disturbing it, because it goes through batteries like nobodies business, but it is definitely one surefire way to rule out the rooster one way or another.

We have trail cams but they're at our cabin and my boyfriend is away working so I'm unable to get them .. I'm not sure what else I could possibly use?