Possum, Raccoon, or what?

[undrcroft]

So I came home from work today with one of my 8 hens killed. I free range them in my backyard. Yes I know its risky, but I've always thought it was the best for them, and I lock them up an night. I have dogs in all the yards around me, and Im in the middle of Metro Nashville, tn. I've been going to work early lately and opened the house before sun up. There were only a couple feathers in the house, a huge pile of feathers in the middle of the yard, another pile in the back corner of the lot, and the body was in the opposite corner with no feathers around. She had been gutted pretty bad, but I believe her head was still on, I had to burry her right there, couldn't investigate too much. It sounds to me like a possum got her before sun up. Plenty of eggs sitting there, it just took her. I have two hen houses, and the ones that stay in the same house as her wouldn't go in there on their own for the first time ever tonight. Does this all point to a possum, or something else?

Any advice would be appreciated so I don't lose any more, thanks.

 

[thomasboyle]

Sorry for your loss. Living in a suburban area makes me think it could be raccoons. I have to deal with them on a regular basis. Could it have been one of the dogs? I read somewhere that dogs are the #1 predators of chickens, and often it is the family pet. Hope you figure out what it is. I have a motion sensor camera on my coop, to let me know what is coming around my birds. I would be careful in the next few days / weeks. Whatever it is has learned that your yard is a good place for dinner, so I would keep your birds inside unless you are there with them.

 

[D Kluck]

mostly likely one dog did this...