Predator ID Australia

[Fisbee]

Hi all,
I’ve had my silkie chickens for 8 months, but had a very sad shock today.

My 4 girls have a secure coop and run, but I have been letting them free range during the day.
We back on to a small bushland park and have a large trees down where the coop is.

I came home after lunch after a short outing to find 1 chicken dead, tucked in the fence corner.

She was (relatively) neatly missing her head and neck, but otherwise intact.

I’m so sad and shocked.
We could potentially have foxes, owls and cats at night, but I naively thought they were at a low risk of a daytime attack.

Is the missing head the calling card of anything in particular?

 

[GodLovesU]

Out of three possible predators you named a fox sounds most likely to pull off the head.Did it look like something bit her head off through the fence?

 

[Fisbee]

Out of three possible predators you named a fox sounds most likely to pull off the head.Did it look like something bit her head off through the fence?

Thank you for your reply.

Sorry I should have specified this was in the middle of the day.
There were some scattered fluffy feathers outside the coop, about 2m away from where I found her, and then she was tucked behind a compost bin in the corner. The fence is mesh and no signs of digging.

At 1pm, I’m thinking a hawk now?
I’ve never seen one, but apparently they’re around.
I think I’m going to set up a wildlife camera and obviously keep chickens in the run

 

[SourRoses]

Croc

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I'd say fox.

 

[Patiocoturnix]

Croc

If it were a croc all the chickens would be gone and there would be likely no evidence a croc would eat a chicken whole. I’d agree that it was a fox

 

[sourland]

A fox would most likely carry the bird away. A small bird of prey would scatter feathers and possibly eat the head and neck first. Owls generally eat the head first as do many other raptors.

 

[SourRoses]

If it were a croc all the chickens would be gone and there would be likely no evidence a croc would eat a chicken whole. I’d agree that it was a fox

But they are diabolical and wouldn't want you to know it was a croc.

 

[Fisbee]

Thankfully nowhere near crocs, or I’d be down a few children too.

 

[Fisbee]