Please help, what could have done this??? **GRAPHIC PICS**

[Tanichca]

This morning, I was enjoying a cupcake when little brother came in to say that our two y.o dutch hen, Becka, had been killed. I went out to look at the body and saw...

Does anyone know what could do this? I let the birds out to free range yesterday morning, and then a storm rolled in, and I left the coop open through the night because my dad wouldnt let me go close it with the rain and lighting and all... but the coop is protected by a thick, about 5 foot wall. No predators have ever crossed the wall in the 11 years we've lived here, thanks to our airedale terrier who guards everything within (even the chickens!) I remember some screaming from the birds in the late afternoon, but did not think much of it because I thought they were just reacting to the rain, thunder, etc. Could it have been a hawk or a vulture? Whatever it was ripped her chest open too...

I put all the other birds on coop confinement for the time being, but I really need to know what this was!!! Thanks in advance!

 

[Tanichca]

So, our possible predator list:
Coyote (doubtful, as the carcass was found inside of our wall)
Cat (maybe, but the cats dont bother the chickens)
Hawk/Vulture (probably.. but why did the bird drop the carcass?)
Other chickens (Doubtful, could they rip her open like that?)

 

[JustaJemIam]

We lost one the other day, it was raining as well and it was to a neighbors dog. Interesting that the losses happened while it was raining.

 

[FarmCoe]

I'm going to say hawk, but I'm not sure.

Pretty nasty the way it ripped open the chicken's chest...

 

[Tanichca]

Hmm... anyone else have an idea?

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I had something similar happen to one of my bantam cochins the other day. All the neck and chest feathers were ripped out and the crop/breast area was eaten. I assumed it was a cat or a coon. Set the live trap with the chicken as bait and got nothing!

 

[Imp]

I'm so sorry Tanichca. I think it looks like raccoon, but don't know if you have them where you are.
I think no on coyote, cat, vulture, dog, chickens. Maybe hawk.
Keep your eyes peeled. It will be back.

Imp

 

[Farmerboy16]

Most of my chickens that were killed by a hawk looked just like what had happen to your hen, they like the neck area. Sorry about your hen.

 

[darkmatter]

An Owl did this:

 

[Tanichca]

No coons here, but as everyone seems to be going along with the hawk/raptor idea... thats what it probably was. When should it be safe to let the birds back out to free range? There are a lot of tasty giant grasshoppers (oh how I hate them, ever since i stepped on one barefoot

) and other bugs to eat... and they are stuck in the coop and run...