Something got into my coop last night! what could it be?

[mmg003]

I woke up this morning to see that an animal had gotten into my coop late last night. There was a hole dug under the fence about 8 inches wide and it only took one chicken and ate the neck and head and left the body just laying in the coop. There was no smell so I don't think it could have been a skunk. What are common animals that eat chickens that will only eat one at a time?

 

[Scott H]

I don't know but if you wait long enough you'll see it cause it'll be back....

 

[mmg003]

Also there was a rainstorm with thunder and lighting around 3 a.m so I think it might have scared the predator away and that's why it only ate one and didn't go after the rest. Could it have been a fox.. what are signs of foxes?

 

[Scott H]

or raccoon...almost any predator will dig under a fence if it can....you need to bury the wire or make a wire apron around your coop

 

[mmg003]

I know I just moved them yesterday to a different area on my property so I didn't get around to doing that. I never thought a predator would come. I find it weird that only one was eaten where other sources say only owls or hawks will take one but there's a roof and other birds can't get it

 

[Scott H]

I'm sorry for your loss....:-(

 

[steelchair]

Racoons eat the head neck and crop and leave the rest. I had that happen to one of my ducks. Sorry.

 

[steelchair]

I also had four other ducks in the pen at the time.

 

[Scott H]

I don't want to sound harsh but its irrelevant what I got in there... you need to predator proof your coop...they are defenseless when they are trapped in enclosed coop.

 

[RedDrgn]

http://icwdm.org/inspection/livestock.asp

But as another noted, what it was isn't important right now. Predator-proofing your coop and run is paramount.