SOMEONE is killing my hens

[am040608]

I was home all day Wednesday and went and checked on our dozen hens and fed them some oats in the afternoon. About 30 minutes later my daughters got home from school and noticed one of them laying in the yard awkwardly. I went inside the chickens large fenced in run to check only to find that the entire head had been severed and the entire neck was completely removed leaving a cleanly cut hole, similar to how you would find a chicken in a grocery store. However all of the organs including the heart and liver were intact. There were no other marks, cuts, scrapes or missing feathers on the hen. I almost immediately determined it easily could have been done with a knife but mulled over the possibilities of what kind of animal could be capeable of such and furthermore, leave the meat and organs behind and take the head and neck bone. Since I had been home all day I found this obviously disturbing.
Yesterday my son whom is 7 and disabled had an appointment five hours away at a specialist clinic. We returned in the evening and I immediately went to check on the flock as I was worried. I started counting and realized one was missing but felt a sigh of relief when I saw her roosting up in the coop. Only when I got closer that I realized that her head was awkwardly twisted. As I approached her I could see that her neck had been snapped and her head was completely twisted around backwards. She was sitting in her favorite roost, on an egg.
I determined at that moment that it was a person responsible. There just simply wasnt another explanation.
I am horrified someone could do this... WHY they would do this. Its absolutely unthinkable.
I secured the run with a padlock in hopes to deter further attacks but there has to be more I can do.
Has anyone dealt with something like this?
Does anyone know if there are legal actions that can be taken, should we catch the person?

 

[BBQJOE]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest it is a neighbor. Do you have noisy roosters?
The camera is a good idea.

Just remember you can't shoot someone for jacking with your chickens, unless you feel your life, or those of loved ones is in imminent danger.

 

[BBQJOE]

I don't know your set up, but I might try sweeping the ground at the entrance after you are done in the run. Just to see if some foot prints show up when/if it happens again just to verify if it is indeed a human.

 

[appps]

I would ring and speak to the police so there is something on record of somebody harassing you if you ever need them there in a hurry.

I second the get a camera set up. I would be very nervous too.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Well.... if we accept that it is a person, it is probably a young person.... or at least an immature person, and killing animals is a precursor to much worse things which is why I speculate disturbed.... And statistically it is most probably a male. And if young it is probably someone from nearby.

 

[Susieq2015]

Game trail cam can be hidden and set up to snap a picture every 30 seconds or less as motion is detected and gives clear pictures day or night...we got ours for only $60 and it takes awesome pics..wouldnt do without it

 

[dlp40]

I am sorry for your loss and the circumstances surrounding the whole thing. Based on the pic that cut looks very smooth and most likely happened in 1 motion, auggesting a very sharp blade. Also a broken neck on the roost also suggests human activity.
Please invest in a camera or two and video your property for a while. Cameras, even dummy cameras, deter a lot of criminal activity. Also if it happens again or worse something happens worse, video will help catch the perpitrator.
I hope your luck changes fast and for the better. Please get some cameras.

 

[HnkyDnkyZZFarm]

People trap time. First, private property, no trespassing sign. Someone on your property when you aren't around isn't just a security risk, it's a liability issue. The sign acts in theory, as informed consent if they don't heed it. That's not on legal guarantee though, just what I've been told by random persons. If someone fell down on your property for instance and you weren't with them on your property, I'm not sure how that would work.

I would set a sprinkler at about 4ft high (pvc stem) with a motion detector. You can get solar ones. Heck, I'd probably do four, one each corner of the yard and set the sensors to catch anything 4ft tall or taller and turn them on when you're away from home. If I were really going to get creative I'd find a way to rig dye inside the PVC stem and see if you can paint your perp.

If I were going to go this far, I might try to find or borrow a cheap security cam to capture the excitement.

 

[am040608]

Just interested @am040608
 if the padlock has still kept out the problem? I hope it has I loved how so many people came to the "aid". Before I found your thread I have been thinking of putting up a camera for my new coop and I just might. I really hope your problem was solved. 

Yes it has. So far so good. No more chicken death.

 

[The Lazy L]

... lethal booby traps closer to coop. Firing a couple of rounds from a .22 into the ground at random times...

That would be a good way to be on the losing end of a law suit and/or spending a good part of your life in jail.