Three hens dead in four days

[Christine_in _Van_Alstyne]

Clearly some sort of predator. The first one I found missing her head. Figured the husband opened the wrong gate bringing dogs inside for the night and recovered the dog quickly. He denies this (but he lies).

The second one I found this morning. Intact but the head a bit bloodied. The chickens had gone a bit wild a couple of times in the night, I ran out there with my flashlight and an airhorn and could see nothing.

The third bit the dust during the day today. I didn't see any damage at all, just a stiff, dead bird.

I'm thinking a winged predator. Considering running fishing line or white nylon string across the chain link that surrounds the chicken yard. My first thought (before I found #3) was to put them up in the coop and shut the doors for the night. About ten of them prefer to sleep outdoors, so they'd have to be bribed, but I am not above that.

Another thought. I have about 10 roosters in there. They get along very well, have worked out their hierarchy issues. The dead birds are all hens. I wonder if the roos...?

Getting very tired of this. Ideas anyone?

 

[RodNTN]

Hi there! And So sorry about your circumstances
How many hens do you have? 10 roosters sound like an overload for a even a large number of hens. Do any of your hens have bare backs?
Not saying that your roosters did any of this, I seriously doubt one of your roosters could tear a head off, there is another animal doing that.
But the roosters could be posing a problem

 

[ClucksAndCombs]

I know weasels and fisher cats kill like that. I have lost a whole flock to those creatures, they kill for sport and don't usually eat the bird. They usually appear at night, but I have heard them cry in the day. They sound like a screaming kid, it's horrifying.

Does your state/country allow you to trap and relocate wild animals? My state does not, but I do know my uncle has relocated a fisher cat in a trap before.

Here's some good info: (Has some great tips actually)
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Fisher-Cat-Away

 

[bobbi-j]

I’m guessing weasel or mink or some similar critter. I had two mink attacks last year and all they ate was the head. The other dead one could have died while trying to escape - maybe flew into the wall or fence.
Or your culprit is a weasel. The weasels that have killed my birds in the past will bite them in the neck or under the wing and lap up the blood.

ETA - If they’re dying at night, it’s not the roosters. Chickens are inactive at night.

 

[Howard E]

So if these birds do not go to roost at night inside a secure coop.......where do they go to roost? If outside in an unsecured area it would be remarkable that more of them have not been killed.

 

[TheWickedChicken]

First step towards keeping chickens safe at night is locking them up. Predators are most active at night. If your chickens are outside unsecured then expect deaths to continue.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Buy an inexpensive trail camera and set it up to record. That's the only way you will find out for sure what's up. The $170 is worth it, believe me. So sorry you are having loss.

 

[centrarchid]

If you have a carcass from this morning, then leave it out where you found it and possibly tie it down with something. I will bet good money you are dealing with a Great-horned Owl and it comes in the same time every night. GHO are very particular about taking smallest chickens they can find first. If birds not properly confined, then sleep out on porch with a flashlite at ready. Keep ears open for chicken alarm calls and start shining when it starts. Remember those calls. You may have to repeat proceedure a few times during course of night before owl(s) give up. If I am correct, then we can discuss measures to prevent subsequent losses.