Suspicious Predator

[Scottankarens]

We just lost our 1st chicken to a predator. :-( My son found a pile a feathers in the cattails surrounding our pond. Upon further investigation, I found a couple patches of feathers where a skirmish took place in among the cattails, then finally finding carcass. The chicken has been eaten on from that backside. The head and upper portion of the bird is in the under side of the picture. I didn't notice if the chicken's feet were missing or not. I guess I wasn't looking.

We live in southern Indiana. We are surrounded by a large open empty bean field. We have seen coyotes travel across that field on rare occasion, and have also heard them around the house in the late hours of the night. I just thought that maybe a coyote would just carry the bird off. This bird was found about 70' from the coop.

Any thoughts as to what might have done this? It seems the predator wanted to go into a rather secluded spot to kill and eat.

 

[Bridebeliever]

Did you mean to post a picture? And do you mean the head and breast area was uneaten?

 

[hayley3]

Out in the open like that..really a lot of diff animals could've participated.
Are you free ranging your birds? Was the bird stolen from your run or coop?

 

[Scottankarens]

Yes, I did mean to post a picture so that people could examine the evidence. The head and breast area were NOT eaten. The rectal and end trails region is what has been consumed.

Our birds only get to free range for a few hours in the evening. So this happened between 5:00pm & 8:00pm. The birds was found nestled in the cattails, so it wasn't quit in the open.

 

[Free Spirit]

Do you have opossums in your area. Opossums are known to eat the bowels and intestines first. While normally nocturnal, I have seen opossums, coyotes, skunks, and raccoons during the daytime.

Here is a list of predators that could have possibly been the culprit depending on what is native in your area.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-predators-pests-how-to-protect-treat-your-flock

 

[centrarchid]

Raptor / hawk.

 

[Bridebeliever]

We also have an owl in our area that hunts in the middle of the day! Blasted dumb thing doesn't know it's supposed to sleep in the day and hunt at NIGHT!

 

[aart]

Raptor / hawk.

Don't raptors generally start feeding at head and breast?

 

[CrazyTalk]

Do you have opossums in your area. Opossums are known to eat the bowels and intestines first. While normally nocturnal, I have seen opossums, coyotes, skunks, and raccoons during the daytime.

Here is a list of predators that could have possibly been the culprit depending on what is native in your area.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-predators-pests-how-to-protect-treat-your-flock

I'd be really surprised to see a possum catch a healthy adult bird during the day - they're just not all that mobile. They're usually a problem when its too dark for the chickens to see and run. Then again - anything can happen - especially if we're talking in dense brush - chicken could have just walked into it.

 

[Scottankarens]

Raptor / hawk.

We have an abundance of Redtail hawks in my area, so that is certainly a possibility. I just wouldn't think it would hide the kill in the high vegetation. I thought a hawk would stay out in the open.