Rooster attacked, rest of folk okay.

[pt49120]

Tonight I went to close up my chickens (around 30) and noticed my rooster was missing. I found his body about ten feet outside the door to the barn. I was obviously fighting with something has his foot had blood on it but wasn't cut. All of his injuries were on his head and neck area with a slash on his neck and his face in particular was disfigured. All the hens were inside safe and sound. I'm sad to have lost such a great rooster as he died protecting his hens. What do you all think killed him? He was whole with nothing eaten or missing and when I found him, he was cold and stick with a floppy neck (but I don't think it was broken). Not many feathers lying around either, poor Silver really held his ground (Silver was a Barred Rock Rooster about 5 months old).

My husband and I are thinking it's a feral cat, just because we've seen one hanging around the barn and it seems if it were a wild creature, the body would have been consumed in some way. I'm located in Southwestern Michigan in a rural area, we've definitely seen coyotes, possums, and raccoons. And I've seen the after effects of a bird of prey attack. Plus now the birds are pretty big, the hawks haven't bothered them for months.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Tomorrow we're setting a trap.

Thanks,
Paula

 

[patman75]

Sorry that you lost your roo. Setting a live trap is a good start. Keep your gun handy if it comes back and you hear your girls in a panic.

oh and

 

[pt49120]

Could the attacker been a hawk or owl? Wouldn't it have eaten my rooster if it was a predator?

Paula

 

[geebs]

possible dog??? Cats usually eat them....Dogs play with them... Predators take them home...