RIP, Paris-- honest question about chicken bullying and predators

[StarOnFire59]

Coons can kill for sport. Growing up on the poultry farm we had 5 drakes killed in one night. They had refused to go in their house that night. One and a half were eaten; the others just ripped open.

 

[McChooky]

I saw one of my pullets ambushed by a neighbors cat.When she took flight he ran in the opposite direction. 2 other pullets disappeared in the same area but I haven't lost any since.He did get rid of his cats

 

[McChooky]

A cat could have killed it but something else would had to finish it off (unless it was a bunch of cats) Could the chickens have eaten the carcass?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Not saying other predators won't do the same but twice I've had issues with only wings and a small bit of other parts left behind. Both times it was neighbors cats.
Very odd to eat all but wings I thought.

I’ve had a very similar experience. Oddly with a Salmon Faverolle who was bullied and driven away from the flock. We kept a feral cat who took a liking to chickens. She ran out of squirrels I guess. But her kills were from the belly out and left a trail of feathers. She wasn’t a particularly big cat or anything but the chickens weren’t afraid of her.

 

[WyoChick1]

They do have cats but have never seen the cats bother the hens at all. In my own experience, the hens are too big for domestic cats. We're thinking it was a racoon, but the air-born threat is a good theory too. They've been extra careful, reworking their run and better securing at night, and they haven't had any more problems, fingers crossed!