Please help let me know what animal you think did this!?

[Jacklust]

I did not get home till late night today around 10 to put my rooster away in its cage it had been raining on and off for a while and the cage door had somehow gotten closed I opened the cage door and I went back out at around 11-12 to see if he was in his cage still nothing. Then to my horror I saw something near the fence my mind did not want to believe it. I kicked it a little with my foot and my heart sank. That was when I knew it was him. I got closer and HALF of his upper body was missing a piece ripped off laid underneath him. Can someone please tell me what could have done this? Although I later saw cats circling the area I don't really think it was a cat. I am thinking a possum would be the only thing big enough to drag him out of the cage and bump the door close I am planning of catching whatever it was and calling animal control so they can dispose of it.

Pictures of my dead rooster: http://www.use.com/30e0b29eafa3f4333409 (warning they are graphic)

 

[CluckyCharms]

That must have been absolutely horrific for your poor rooster...and even more horrific emotionally for you when you found him in such tatters. Ugh. I'm so very sorry for your loss. I did review the pictures of him - even in that state I can tell he was such a pretty little roo. I like the dark ones a great deal.

Did you rooster have a name? Rest in peace, little one.

Did your rooster show any signs of being a vicious one? IE: had he attacked hens, animals or people prior to this incident?

This picture you included in your photo session has me curious


It appears (to me) that those kitties may have been victims of the same event that occurred that caused the loss of you rooster. There's no "gross bits" around their mouth, nor around their paws, which if they did it to him..certainly their mouths and paws would be indicative. This cat in particular (to me) looks like he/she was also attacked in the process...especially on and near the end of the tail.

I would try to find that cat as soon as possible. Chickens can't get rabies except for extreme situations - but cats? Cats can get rabies at the drop of a hat. If this is a raccoon and those cats haven't been vaccinated for the rabies - something wicked this way comes...will be next. (not trying to scare you, just trying to emphasize how serious Rabies is)

my guess is opossum or coon...but i would definitely have that poor cat checked too -something got her/him.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Poor rooster! i'm not totally understanding. You came home at 10pm then opened the cage door for the rooster to go in, but you hadn't seen him yet? Sounds like he could have been killed at any time during the day or night up until then. Leaving birds out after dark unprotected is basically a death sentence. They can't see in the dark and tend to get very sleepy and unresponsive. It could have been almost anything that killed him - possum, raccoon, skunk, dog. Do you have other chickens?

 

[Jacklust]

He was fine all day and the cage door HAD been left opened it always is so he can get food and water and then near dark go into sleep then I would lock him in. I do no own any of the cats that were around they were just snooping around I'm assuming after the incident because during the day he was around all the cats that my neighbor has and they would never try to attack him. Whatever killed him took him out of his cage. I do not live in the wilderness I actually live in Mia.FL. and have never seen a raccoon nor skunk in my area. And this doesn't look like the doing of a dog at all. I do not have anymore grown chickens just chicks inside the house.

 

[Jacklust]

I bought a trap cage, what would MOST attract the possum to go into the trap? Please let me know if you've had any success at catching one of these demons

 

[MamaMarcy]

Not meaning to be gross bu the chicken carcass might attract it back. You may want to check local laws...trapping may very well be illegal.

Coyotes.

I doubt your rooster suffered.

 

[CDJJ]

You know, one of my favorite chickens, a beautiful hen that was about to lay eggs called Fluffy, has killed the same way as your rooster. Something had the nerve to drag it out of its cage in the middle of the night. My mom saw a black tail just as the creature disappeared. It was a wildcats tail. But I can't be sure because I did not see the thing. Though strangely, Fluffy was still alive after being dragged out. I noticed that she was not bitten on the neck. She was scratched deeply near the spine. Cats usually bite their prey's necks and kill it before dragging it off. The thing already made off with the still-alive chicken, which is weird if it's a wildcat because before carrying off their prey, cats tend to kill them first. Then perhaps it was a raccoon, because those things are SMART. Check around your neighborhood to see if there are any likely creatures. We can assume the creature is a small one, but big enough to kill your rooster. It's small because it can't carry the prey all the way home and didn't eat all of it.... Or is your Rooster very small? Either way, I'm sorry you lost such a fine chicken, I felt very sick for days after losing Fluffy. She was a great hen. If you have other chickens, beware. The weasel family, hawks, falcons, cats, raccoon, and many other animals will eta chickens. You can check online to see if someone can tell you how each animal kill their prey. If I were you, I would make a shelter which is predator proof for your chickens. Mine often hide under a tree, where the predators can't reach them. Good luck!

 

[Jacklust]

I saw him as my child honestly this is the first time I have ever encountered any issues in my yard since I don't live in the 'wilderness' I didn't think he was in danger at all a lot of other people around me have loose chickens without locking them in at night and they are fine. But I would lock him in at night anyways and always kept an eye on him during the day.

I have ruled out
Cats ~ I've seen dead birds hunted by cats and they usually just eat around the bones. I've never seen a cat eat an entire bird head :/
Dogs ~ Usually shake the animal and I feel he would have had more large bite marks all over and feathers scattered everywhere
Coyotes ~ Never seen one in Mia.


I have not ruled out
Possums ~ Have seen a few before but not in my yard (Almost certain it was this)
Rats ~ Have seen these around also but never thought they were big enough to kill my rooster
Raccoons ~ Never seen one in my area but maybe there are some around
Weasels ~ Also something I've never seen around in my area

Hoping the culprit walks into my trap since there are a lot of cats I'll have to try with peanut butter instead of cat food.

My baby was just 5 months old and he was a total sweetheart he was a bantam silkie so he wasn't extremely big but also not tiny either. All I have left of him is his 8 kids which I keep indoors. I did have another hen "old English" tiny girl (the mom of the 8 babies) but she just comes to eat and disappears (doesn't allow anyone to touch her at all). I didn't even know she had eggs until the babies popped up out of underneath the house.

Here are more pictures of my rooster when he was alive </3 http://www.use.com/40e83a18be76e6d077eb

I want to believe he felt no pain but I simply can't.

I saw the kitty again and it seemed to be doing fine she won't let me get close though but all the stray cats are very well feed by my neighbor. I moved the carcase as soon as I found it to the middle of a street divider nothing has come to eat the rest of him I have been checking on the body.

 

[littleoak]

A racoon would be my first guess. The possum usually eats the intestines and does not drag the carcass around. Rats are possible but would be more than one. A racoon could have opened your cage even if it was closed. They have hands instead of paws.