something stole my eggs and killed a chicken

[troutman]

today when I got home form work I went to check on my chickens and one was lying dead in the middle of the coop with just its head and neck gone. The rest of the body was there. This chicken was in its brooding stage so it was sitting on the eggs. But when I went to get the eggs they were gone so I am thinking that something wanted the eggs but she was sitting on them, so it killed her and took the eggs. My question is what would do this in the middle of the day and only take the head of the chicken.

 

[Cherib603]

Could be a weasel, but it really doesn't matter. Time to button up the coop, or if you leave it open all day, you need to strengthen the run or yard. Hardware cloth top bottom sides. Weasels can squeeze in thru a 1" hole (like chicken wire). Something knows where the chuck wagon is now and you can be sure it will return.

If you free range with no protection, more will die.

 

[gmfwlbrdr]

My bet is possum ,,set live trap quick it will show back up nearby ,the possum are not trapshy and will enter after most any bait.

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

What time did u come home? If it was late in the evening it could have been a screech owl,I had an incident where I had 7 hens dead with there heads missing but there bodies were untouched .

 

[troutman]

I came home around 11:30 to 12 for lunch and that's when I found it

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

The only Predator I can think of that would kill in the day and eat chickens would be a possum

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

I caught one in a trap and shot it the next morning we put rotten eggs as bait