Tobymartin601
In the Brooder
- Sep 11, 2021
- 11
- 30
- 41
Here are the facts: One chicken, a year and a half years old, named kitty, found beheaded inside the hens' fenced off portion of the yard. Some feathers strewn about, neck feathers on the body were wet.
My mom heard sqwuaking earlier in the day, but didn't check on it.
Suspects: The family puppy, who has a history of chicken killing since we got him last april. But he has never killed inside the fenced area, because he can't get in the gate(and close it again how I found it), and the other chickens are unharmed. The kill looks like his usual style however.
Greg, the opossum that I nicknamed after sighting him four nights ago in my backyard at night. I've only just attributed the broken shells in my coop to him. He's my primary hunch, but I've never had an opossum kill an adult chicken before, and the placement of the body is away from the shed where I saw him escape (I've been baiting a trap every night to get him, so far I've caught a young raccoon and my cat) Also my mom's testimony that there was a commotion in daylight hours makes me think the killing took place during the day, which would be a weird time for an opossum to kill. But that sqwuaking could be unrelated.
Other possibilities could be a raccoon, even a hawk. Do hawks normally just take the head? I've noticed them recently in my neighborhood. I live in a neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but as mentioned wildlife isn't uncommon.
Thanks for reading, I appreciate any thoughts or questions.
My mom heard sqwuaking earlier in the day, but didn't check on it.
Suspects: The family puppy, who has a history of chicken killing since we got him last april. But he has never killed inside the fenced area, because he can't get in the gate(and close it again how I found it), and the other chickens are unharmed. The kill looks like his usual style however.
Greg, the opossum that I nicknamed after sighting him four nights ago in my backyard at night. I've only just attributed the broken shells in my coop to him. He's my primary hunch, but I've never had an opossum kill an adult chicken before, and the placement of the body is away from the shed where I saw him escape (I've been baiting a trap every night to get him, so far I've caught a young raccoon and my cat) Also my mom's testimony that there was a commotion in daylight hours makes me think the killing took place during the day, which would be a weird time for an opossum to kill. But that sqwuaking could be unrelated.
Other possibilities could be a raccoon, even a hawk. Do hawks normally just take the head? I've noticed them recently in my neighborhood. I live in a neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but as mentioned wildlife isn't uncommon.
Thanks for reading, I appreciate any thoughts or questions.
. I'd guess a raccoon. They usually kill at night, but it is possible he was out in the day, especially if he decided a chicken was an easy meal. Dogs normally kill by snapping the neck shaking the bird. Your puppy may be different, but I find it unlikely he got into the yard and out without someone noticing. As far as Greg goes, it doesn't really fit an opossum's MO. If they work up the guts to try and take down a full size chicken, and actually succeed in killing them, the remains tend to be a lot more... messy. As in the bird may be eviscerated, it may have detached body parts strewn around, etc. If it was a hawk, you'd either find a still living hen with a bloodied up back or no hen at all. Hawks take all or nothing. So that narrows us down to a raccoon, which I have had decapitate a chicken and leave the headless body. Raccoons can be real pills like that, killing something and only eating one part of it. I don't know about you, but while I absolutely hate losing a bird and will do everything I can to prevent it, I'm of the opinion that if something is going to kill it, they better well eat it and not waste it.
