Silkies killed by other chickens or what!?!?!?!

[Beakz]

Hey everyone,
So I had 8 chickens: 2 RIR, 1 Easter egger, 1 barred rock, 1 white one with black feathers on her neck and tail(not sure which breed), and 3 silkies. They've been raised together since babies and rarely peck at each other, but suddenly, last night when I went to go feed them, two of the silkies were dead!! I don't think it was disease because one of the heads was ripped off and the others throat was torn open.i don't think my other chickens could do this and my coop is way too sealed for a dog, cat, or raccoon, I checked the whole perimeter. A rat might have slipped in but it would be hard for it and could it do that kind of damage??? HELP!!!!!!

 

[Judy]

Sounds like a predator. That actualy sounds like raccoon damage.

 

[Beakz]

so how could it get inside?? plus it only touched my silkies.

 

[lazy gardener]

You have a weasel. They can squeeze through any opening smaller than 1" and kill just for the fun of it. They will rip heads off, and rip open the neck. He'll be back tonight for more carnage. Do your silkies sleep on the floor of the coop?

 

[Beakz]

the silkies sleep on a roost with the other chickens and i havent had any more fatalities since. could the weasel be afraid of bigger chickens?? i have one silkie left.

 

[Johnn]

the silkies sleep on a roost with the other chickens and i havent had any more fatalities since. could the weasel be afraid of bigger chickens?? i have one silkie left.

They do usually target the small, young and the weak as they aren't that big, but all it takes is for it to get a hold of the throat then the hen is a gonner. My top hen got ill last winter and a young stoat came and attacked her because of her illness. I luckily got there just as it had got her to the ground and it ran off. She was then attacked again several more times but she managed to survive because it appeared to be a young, inexperienced hunter. If the weasel isn't hungry then it might leave your big girls alone but if it's desperate it will take it's chances. Hope all your girls stay safe.