Something attacked my chickens

[Regina P]

Around Thanksgiving something got into the pen beheading one chicken and severally attacked a second chickens head. We caught a glimpse of a mink or weasel. I have been closing their door each night since. They would not come out of the barn for weeks and stopped laying. Just this week I started getting an egg a day from 12 chickens. Is this normal and will they every lay the same as before?

 

[David61]

It took almost two months for my egg production to come back after a dog killed two of mine.
Do you have a rooster?

 

[Regina P]

No rooster.

 

[nuthatched]

If its also winter, they could be on winter break.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I had a raccoon (I think) attack this fall. I came outside and the thing ran away so I don't know what it was but I know my bird was injured. She laid one egg about a month later and hasn't laid since. The combination of attack and winter is a recipe for a long egg break.

 

[Eccentric]

A raccoon eats just the head. A fox takes the whole chicken and runs with it. An opossum eats the guts from the butt in. Mink and weasel are bloody meat eaters. So for a raccoon your best bet is a live trap baited with marshmallows.

 

[Regina P]

The girls gave me 2 eggs today. Hopefully their getting back on track. Thanks everyone

 

[user605178]

I lost chickens to hawks during the day and raccoons and rats during the night til I got a farm dog that took care of all that if you raised it from a pup in the coop then let it in the yard it will protect its flock if it's th right breed I had lgds up until recently now I have Australian shepherds they seem to be working out OK to meet max my guard dog