The Murder Mistery of Chickens

[PepsiCatt]

This happened in the winter of 2019.



This was bothering me for a while, so i thought i need some answers.
I had 10 chickens. 5 young hens (not laying) one young hens feathers was found in my back back yard,(i have 5 acres of land)
Only 2 survived. out of the 8 that died there was a broody hen . In the morning, i only found one body, an isa brown, decapited. I have NO idea what killed her maybe a weasel, but if i lost 8 hens and only found one body, does that mean a weasel came and got isa brown, and a fox or something got the rest? do weasels hunt at night? In groups? Please Help me with this

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't have answers for you, but I am sorry for your loss. I will say that I THINK that if a weasel were to blame, it would have gotten all your chickens, and they would have all lost their heads. People say that weasels kill "for the fun of it." I don't believe that, but that is what it looks like, as they do not kill just what they can eat and move on. They seem to go into a killing frenzy, eating little, and they do not carry their kill away. Others may correct me if I am wrong, but that is my understanding of this predator, so I think you can scratch them off your list of suspects. I also believe they are solitary hunters.

You say you left the door open, so it is possible whatever got in frightened the birds, who scattered out of the building, leaving them vulnerable to attack as they are night-blind and would have been disoriented. Coyotes or raccoons could then have had their way with them. Both of these predators hunt in groups.

 

[Weeg]

This makes me think Coyote. They will carry the carcases away, were a weasel probably wouldn't' though I'm not sure. I'm thinking Coyote.

 

[TOR]

This happened in the winter of 2019.



This was bothering me for a while, so i thought i need some answers.
I had 10 chickens. 5 young hens (not laying) one young hens feathers was found in my back back yard,(i have 5 acres of land)
Only 2 survived. out of the 8 that died there was a broody hen . In the morning, i only found one body, an isa brown, decapited. I have NO idea what killed her maybe a weasel, but if i lost 8 hens and only found one body, does that mean a weasel came and got isa brown, and a fox or something got the rest? do weasels hunt at night? In groups? Please Help me with this

Murder mysteries need clues.
Need details about the coop. How did the intruder enter if in a coop? Was there any prints?
Was the coop enclosed? the animal broke in somehow, was it fenced? animal climbed or jumped over?
I am guessing where you live is not extreme cold in winter to where animals like coon or bear den up for the winter?
What kind of predators do you have in your area?

7 Hens missing.
Racoons can run in groups.
I dont think it was just 1 animal.
Coyote take all 7? More than 1 coyote?
Weasel MInk dont think drag all 7 would kill them all though. Drag 1 off if could. Then 5 were young hens. Still that is alot for a weasle or mink.

Could they have been eaten there with not having any leftovers. Racoon will eat the whole bird. Feathers and all.
Whatever it was was full and did not kill the other 2. Maby?

Just thinking outloud. I could be way off base.

 

[PepsiCatt]

we accidently left the chicken door open. we live in a place were its only cold in feb.
there were a few feathers scattered across the yard. our rhode island red's feathers were together

 

[PepsiCatt]

now i need to take a shower if u need to ask me anything, dont be shy

 

[PepsiCatt]

thank you. it makes since now.

 

[Weeg]

Murder mysteries need clues.
Need details about the coop. How did the intruder enter if in a coop? Was there any prints?
Was the coop enclosed? the animal broke in somehow, was it fenced? animal climbed or jumped over?
I am guessing where you live is not extreme cold in winter to where animals like coon or bear den up for the winter?
What kind of predators do you have in your area?

7 Hens missing.
Racoons can run in groups.
I dont think it was just 1 animal.
Coyote take all 7? More than 1 coyote?
Weasel MInk dont think drag all 7 would kill them all though. Drag 1 off if could. Then 5 were young hens. Still that is alot for a weasle or mink.

Could they have been eaten there with not having any leftovers. Racoon will eat the whole bird. Feathers and all.
Whatever it was was full and did not kill the other 2. Maby?

Just thinking outloud. I could be way off base.

Your right, there are a lot of questions to be asked, from my personal experience it sounds like a Coyote, but, answers to these questions could bring new information into play.

The murderer, could still be out there....... unidentified........

 

[Weeg]

we accidently left the chicken door open. we live in a place were its only cold in feb.
there were a few feathers scattered across the yard. our rhode island red's feathers were together

Okay, so it didn't take much for the predator to get in. I'm still thinking Coyote, or another large predator. Probably multiple though since it took all 7, that makes me think a pack, again, leading me to Coyote.
How big is the door opening? Was it just a chicken sized door, or a human sized door you left open?

 

[Weeg]

I don't have answers for you, but I am sorry for your loss. I will say that I THINK that if a weasel were to blame, it would have gotten all your chickens, and they would have all lost their heads. People say that weasels kill "for the fun of it." I don't believe that, but that is what it looks like, as they do not kill just what they can eat and move on. They seem to go into a killing frenzy, eating little, and they do not carry their kill away. Others may correct me if I am wrong, but that is my understanding of this predator, so I think you can scratch them off your list of suspects. I also believe they are solitary hunters.

You say you left the door open, so it is possible whatever got in frightened the birds, who scattered out of the building, leaving them vulnerable to attack as they are night-blind and would have been disoriented. Coyotes or raccoons could then have had their way with them. Both of these predators hunt in groups.

I totally agree with you abbot Weasels, you are so right.

I didn't think of the fact they a lot of the flock probably fled, rather then being killed in the attack. That makes sense why you didn't see all of there feathers, bodies, and body parts.