Something took my roosters head off

[Eringm]

This morning when I went to let the hens out I found 2 hens and 1 rooster laying in the coop dead, it was a fairly big shock as to why they were dead. I also have a gander but he was untouched. I thought he might have killed them but the roosters head was taken clean off and im wondering if a goose is capable of doing such a thing. I've seen him hiss at hens but I didn't think he was capable of killing 3 off them . Not to sure what could have killed them.
Also the roosters head was nowhere to be seen.
Any suggestions ?

 

[Trish1974]

What a horrible thing to wake up to. So sorry that happened! Any signs of a predator entering their coop? Possums, raccoons, weasels and mink are possibilities. I don't own geese so I cannot answer whether or not your gander could have done that.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry for your loss.

Head missing was likely a raccoon. A weasel would have killed everything in there. They can even rip heads off through the wire, which is why many of us use 1/2 inch hardware cloth and not chicken wire.

He/she WILL be back for another easy meal. If you don't secure so it can't happen again.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

My deepest condolences, not a feathered family member, sorry .I agree with above comments, but it might be a rat .Please keep us posted, you may want to set up a video camera

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My deepest condolences, not a feathered family member, sorry .I agree with above comments, but it might be a rat .Please keep us posted, you may want to set up a video camera

It's true rats are chicken predators.
But they don't take the head off and leave the rest. That is raccoon specific.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I've had an owl do it too.
Spent a month trying to catch that damn coon until I came out on morning and caught an owl in the act.

 

[Chullicken]

Definitely have a predator issue, and whatever it was will return more than likely tonight. Really horrific thing to wake up to. Sadly this is an opportunity to predator proof your coop/run.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had a female goose, who would get jealous of the hens sometimes, and tear off the comb of a hen. One time she killed a hen. I had to rehome her to a lady who was going to have all geese.

I just lost 2 chickens to a raccoon, but last night, I buttoned things down. I hear raccoons will kill more than one chicken at a time.

 

[Chullicken]

I had a female goose, who would get jealous of the hens sometimes, and tear off the comb of a hen. One time she killed a hen. I had to rehome her to a lady who was going to have all geese.

I just lost 2 chickens to a raccoon, but last night, I buttoned things down. I hear raccoons will kill more than one chicken at a time.

I heard geese are or can be little monsters given the opportunity with anything that is not them. Germans used them as watch dogs during WW2 because of that. Love that chicken in your pick though, is that a Frizzle?

 

[gimmie birdies]

yes, The mom was a smooth coated splash, the dad was a gray frizzle, he had some splash as well. The dad was the ugliest bird you could imagine, molting looking like he was not wearing any pants but his babies were incredible.