Something ripped the head off my Ruby, in the coop, yesterday

[kwhites634]

Sad Tuesday for me. So I went to put the chickens to bed (close pop door, close up run--they free range over that backyard during the day). I open the coop to put their waterer in, and one of my barred rocks, Ruby, is lying upside down, headless. Whatever it was tore it right off. Didn't appear to eat anything and there were two eggs in the nesting box. What kills chickens without eating them? The other three were roosting and fine. All's well this morning.

I've had them for three years and this is the first one I've lost to a predator. I've seen hawks, an opossum and recently a raccoon, so maybe it was the raccoon, but I would think they'd eat her. Help!

Weasle, mink. They'll kill for the pure joy of it. Not sure whether a 'coon would eat one or not @ChickenCanoe

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with most of what has been said. The only thing I'm wondering about is why only one bird.
I've had mink attacks and they kill everything in the building and don't even rip the head off. Just bite the neck and lap a little blood. Often there are no marks, just dead birds.
Weasels and mink can get through a 1" opening.
A raccoon usually eats at least some of the bird but also often kill more than one even if they just eat part of one or two.
Young raccoons can easily squeeze through a 2" opening.

 

[deepbluesea]

Update: No one got dead last night!

I'm leaning more toward raccoon now. When I went to clean out the coop yesterday afternoon, I saw more blood than earlier and some intestines. I went around and plugged every gap I could see--Rube Goldberg-style. I'll get some metal shears this weekend and get everything filled in with hardware cloth. Thanks for all the thoughtful information, all!

 

[Maeser]

I caught a skunk beheading hens in my coop. Not eating them, just beheading them.

 

[Devunisaacs]

Thats a weasel we had the exact same thing happen to my silkie named lady we had a weasel problem went outside that night to put my birds away and found her headless with a slit on her side no blood than found the weasel the next day in the hut waiting for a bird we shot it

 

[Devunisaacs]

If you live in the 48 continental states in the USA, you are in the hunting grounds of the long tailed weasel. Other varieties tend to be a bit picker about where they live, but generally speaking we live in a place of weasels, they are just rarely seen.

I agree, this does sound like a weasel attack. I've never seen them eat anything, just have a fun massacre. I've also had hawks decapitate (they will leave prey if they are startled) my birds. But, never in my own chicken coop. They swooped down and caught my birds in the yard, and then presided to eat them.

Yes! the weasel that came in our yard didn't eat anything just ripped the head off and left it there with the body

 

[Devunisaacs]

I would say weasel/mink/martin/etc, that's a signature move of theirs. Not only kill your beloved chicken, but just let it go to waste too...not even eat it.

Though the raccoon is also a possibility.

Sorry this happened to you, I know the feeling. I lost the majority of my birds last year to one.

Same thing happened to me