I have six free range chickens that run with my guineas. I knew it was just a matter of time, but they were not let out until the sun came up and I locked them up each night. One chicken was missing at morning roll call and I figured she might have gotten lost in our woods - wishful thinking I know. Came home to my beautiful little (12 weeks old) GLW literally exploded next to the coop. Her corpse was in the middle of a giant explosion of feathers and although I did not look closely, I think her insides were eaten out. Of course, it's possible the guineas and the other chickens ate her after she was killed but I doubt they caused a perfectly round feather explosion. We do have two cats, but they have never bothered the chickens and didn't even seem interested in the corpse. Plus they are smaller and lazier than the poor chicken that was killed.
Any idea what would attack a chicken in broad daylight and 'explode' her? Everyone else got away and now I have them locked in the coop until we run an electric fence this weekend. Cooping up all those guineas is not an option, but I'd like to do the best I can for my four remaining chickens. I have never seen a dog on our property (The coop is about 5 acres from the next person over) but I've seen foxes and I know there's a skunk somewhere fairly near..
Any idea what would attack a chicken in broad daylight and 'explode' her? Everyone else got away and now I have them locked in the coop until we run an electric fence this weekend. Cooping up all those guineas is not an option, but I'd like to do the best I can for my four remaining chickens. I have never seen a dog on our property (The coop is about 5 acres from the next person over) but I've seen foxes and I know there's a skunk somewhere fairly near..