One dead chicken and one missing breast feathers (warning - pictures)

[nerfy]

Could be all suggested, but we don't know if the chickens were in a secure run when it was discovered, or free ranged.

 

[WingingIt]

Thanks for the responses. Can't be a hawk as their run and coop are both covered and there were no holes made anywhere. They don't free range, ever.

I don't know where the injury happened, but their coop is solid wood/metal on three sides. The fourth side is open for air flow but is covered by the solid wood door (when closed) and the rest is that thick metal square wire which is then covered by chicken wire on top of that. I checked several times and had DH check when he got home and we can't find any holes in the run or coop that have been dug or torn. We do have opossums here and maybe a small one found a way in somehow, that's a thought.

We have 15 (well, 14 now) RSLs in that coop/run and based on those per chicken calculations, the run has enough room for 30 full sized chickens and the run for 35, so I don't think it was a crowding/boredom attack.

Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming!

Any ideas on the live chicken? Could she be molting for the first time? I was told they wouldn't molt until next year, but maybe that's not true? They don't seem to have been ripped out from what I can tell.........

 

[Nif]

Weird. Seems like you have a pretty tight coop. My husband suggested maybe a rat chewed on it after it died.
I would just keep a close eye on your flock and especially the one missing feathers. It kinda looks like they could have been pulled out, or maybe she's just molting...she doesn't look injured. Hope it was just a freak happening and you don't have any more problems!

 

[Opa]

Rats will kill chickens.

 

[chickabator]

yes they will we lost an ameraucana to a rat and it almost looked just like that. and we have a very secure coop and run also our floor is concrete walls wood then vinal siding on the outside of that and a metal roof and metal door. but somehow one got in and killed one our hens. ate part of it and they will pull the feathers out also.

 

[Nif]

Rats are pretty slick...if they can fit their head they can most likely squeeze their body through too.
I had a problem with rats for a while and I redid my coop so they couldn't tunnel, but I never had one kill a chicken.
But I wouldn't put it past them.