Please help identify if a cat killed my chicken. Graphic pictures.

[alalele]

Thanks for all the support here. My fiance tells me not to get upset, but how can I not?

I don't really think I have it in me to shoot an animal but I am very mad about the situation. I did call animal control to report it but they closed at 11am today.

The neighbors repeatedly get in trouble with animal control and are probably worried now, but they should be. The worst trouble they've gotten into was last year when animal control was doing a routine check on them and found 3 gamecock roo's alive with feet bound laying on their side and several dead chickens unproperly disposed of on the property. They have gotten past warnings now and now dogs are taken away now if they are found unproperly sheltered (plus no tags, etc), so they have come down on them pretty tough. The neighbors say they are moving soon to get out of the parish because of a.c. harrassing them. It will be best for our entire neighborhood to see them go. I've got a big heart so even after getting upset with them I usually end up feeling sorry for these people and the anger leaves. Right now I'm just sad and worried about my other chickens.

I have never seen a weasel where I live... nor a raccoon. I have heard there are deer and fox in the woods and wild rabbits but I don't see those either because I live on a smaller lot with houses on the side and behind me, so there aren't any woods near me.

We have hawks and owls for sure and the run is protected by netting and they are in a hardware clothe and plywood cage off the ground at night time to protect them from night predators. Now I know that I need to secure their run much better, and though I thought they were safe thus far, my eyes have been opened.

Several people here mentioned rats. I can't rule out a rat because we just had a wildlife trapper guy in our attic to see if squirrels were getting in and he said it was a rat and he put out bait and sealed 2 entry points we know of. I heard movement in the wall just last night!

But I SAW the cat with the chicken. I didn't hear anything this morning. Does a rat attack during daylight? I keep thinking about how her neck looked and feel that she died from that injury. Meaning she was chocked and grabbed by the neck so that is why I didn't hear her at the time of attack.

Regarding if she was taken from the cage, I don't think so...

Yesterday morning, Lola had gotten out of the 6x12 run somehow and when I went outside she was pacing around clucking at me to let her back in the run. I figured she got out on her own but didn't worry too much about it and didn't have time to figure out how she got out but I think I found the corner and have blocked it off.

So when this morning when I went out an only saw 3 chickens I wasn't surprised that it was Lola that was missing. She is the bravest and always the first to try anything new and figure things out. But when i called for her there was only quiet. Then I found her dead with the cat on the other side of the yard.

I still hope to get more responses to see what the overall conscenses is. I'm leaning toward cat or rat at this point only because those are the only known suspects that seem feasible at this point. The cat isn't fed properly and lives under their house and saw the cat with her. The other animal suggestions I don't have any knowledge of behaviour etc. It happened this morning because her body wasn't stiff yet.

Any more thoughts? I appreciate your input.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

It sounds like your neighbors are idiots.

I do think that it was a weasel. I have never seen one where I live, but that it was killed my chicks, and took a bite out of the back of my booted bantams head.

 

[Jolyn]

I wouldn't put it past my cat to kill one of my young hens. He brought home a good sized bird this week and ate everything but the head and the legs. The rest was GONE!!!!!

Did you see your hen this morning? When do you think the attack happened? Could she have gotten out last night sometime?

I think if the attack happend this morning the cat probably did it. Just going on what kind of damage i think my cat could do if given the chance.

 

[Chickenhatcher89]

I have had cats kill my chickens before. The chickens stuck thier head through the wire and well didn't come back with a head. They defintely could.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

in my experience as a cat owner, cats dont usually eat something unless they kill it! unless they are kittens and its something they mom has brought in, even then the animal is still somewaht alive. ive watched my won cats kill a good sized rabbit, but have never bothered my chickens. i think that if the cat was hungary it most certainly could have done this. i wouldnt put it past a cat to kill a chicken for fun either!!

 

[dixygirl]

Those picture really hurt me. I am so sorry. please fix your run so the animals in your care can't get even their head out. For their sake.

I doubt that neighbor will take responsibility for letting her cat roam around like a vagrant so you will have to make your run into a mini Fort Knox. If you get your chicks sealed in so they can't get out, I would put some rat poison down on the perimeter of your property.... on your property

If your animals are all safely inside they will be safe. Only those vagrants that come onto your property, and rodents will be affected.

 

[silkiechicken]

A cat could kill if hungry. Could be a weasal too. Cat's usually will carry the animal away, while a coon would also take it's kill to the nearest water way. Good luck with the neighbor. Haven't had problems with the many ferals around here, even when I let 3 week old silkies roam free.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry for your loss.
I don't think it was the cat...the cat could've come upon the body afterwards...

 

[alalele]

Quote:
I have thought of that. It is entirely possible. I didn't see it happen, but I saw the cat 'with' her trampled body and it is a feral cat. It is not a cat that is cared for and fed properly. I never minded the cats coming on our property in the past, although my fiance chases them away, I never have until I started caring for chickens in my backyard.

What I'm dealing with now is regret and sadness over this loss, and yes to those who mentioned it. It's imperative to create a Fort Knox now that I know what can happen to these innocent creatures.

Morbid as it sounds I've studied Lola's neck wound. As I said before.. I need to know, to understand what happened so I can protect my chickens better. I need to know what animal killed her. The teethmarks were the size and width of the cat's mouth. A rat teeth marks would be narrow, as would a weazel (which I've never seen one except on google images), wouldn't it??

Although I'm profoundly inexperienced, basic instincts point to the feral cat right now. First off, it took some time to eat the amount of flesh. I'd say at least an hour... two at most. The cat may have been guarding it's kill like a lion after a fiest. That's the gist I got. Also the cat couldn't carry away the chicken off because of 6ft wood fence, but my 2.5 month pullet was carried to the very fence gate that the cat scrambled through when it heard me scream bloody murder.

My heart hurts bad for her..... well, obviously I loved her for who she was, she was a smart bird, the first to figure things out and show the others the way, whether it be taste a new treat, to climb a ramp or limb, she always led the way like the pied piper. Though she didn't let me pick her up without a major fuss, she amused me with her antics and always the center of attention .

She was here to teach ME!... sadly this time, Lola has led the way...

I'll learn from this cause I don't want to have this happen again, it's heart breaking. I've been in despair and prayer all day long. Let Go and Let God, I keep thinking, but it's hard. It has helped to have all of you to talk to and hear from. This forum is a blessing at a time like this... thank you, everyone.

 

[lewisfarmgurl]

I think it was the cat.

My neighbor has a cat that just killed and ate our other neighbors hen last week. The cat is only a year old and weighs about 4 or 5 lbs and the hen it killed and ate was a Jersy Giant black hen of 2 yrs old. The hen was killed and eaten inside the coop where she was laying her eggs.

A cat can and will kill birds and eat them just like in your picture if they are hungry enough.
You could have found your hen before the cat had finished its meal.

By the way, the neighbor paid for the hen its cat ate and they think it did it because her sister was suppose to feed it while they were on vacation and didn't feed it for 3 days. They were gone a week.

Sorry about what happened to your hen.