Unidentified Attack On Flock

[Snakecharmer80]

I'm hoping for some experience here, I had an attack on my flock today. We live in Connecticut. The flock is free range on 5 acres, all birds are around 3 months old. We came home around 730pm, the flock was attacked just prior to that. Still daylight, but waning. We had a leghorn killed with no corpse, lots of feathers. Also a Rhode island red, and an Easter egger in two separate spots. Small amount of feathers on those two, no corpse no blood that I noticed. Broad breast white turkey was injured, he has some good wounds, they look like lacerations where the skin is torn open about 1-1.5 inches long and .5 inch wide on the back and thigh. The turkey is still alive at the moment, hoping he lives. The birds all live in a coop built into the back of the barn, it is pretty sturdy. They typically range around there. We found them all up by the house, which is about 100' away from the barn.
We do have hawks on the area, and a wildlife preserve behind the house. We lost a turkey about two weeks back, its head ripped off, body left behind. That could be unrelated.
I find it strange that the birds fled the barn area and went to the house, it makes me think they werent safe by taking cover and it was maybe a ground predator, but that is a guess.
The internet seems to suggest hawks, fox, coyotes...

Any thoughts? We probably need a trail cam so we can start getting a look at what predators we have around.

 

[Aapomp831]

It sounds like dogs to me... do you have neighbors with dogs who roam on your property? I know raccoons will also kill a lot of birds at one time, but they usually come out at night. It’s also May though; everything is breeding and out at odd hours trying to feed their young. But that type of chaotic carnage reminds me of a dog attack.

 

[mowin]

Seeing the bodies were taken, I'm going to say fox, coyote or possibly coon. Dogs most likely wouldn't take there kills. Hawks most likely couldn't carry a full a full size chicken away.

 

[Matejka]

Dog

 

[Mtnboomer]

Fox or coyote most likely. Raccoons a 3rd possibility.

 

[cmom]

I agree that a camera is a good idea. I was surprised when I first put up my cameras at the predators that roam here. I have several up on my property and see predators most nights when they roam here. I don't free range any more due to losses in the past but have nice large pens for my birds. My land is mostly open pasture. My guess would be first a fox or coyote. Owls usually hunt mostly around dusk to dawn. Good luck...

 

[Snakecharmer80]

Well, my Turkey is holding on. He seems okay considering. We are using Blue Cote. He is mobile but confined to a large dog crate. The wounds are dry and kind of look like they will mend. The leg one a bit more fleshy, and he seems bothered by it.
I found a few feathers on different spots that I think we're the spots where my chickens got taken.
Also got a cam on order tonight, and mowed down the grass all around the area so they would have less cover while approaching from the forest. We are probably going to build a fence there. The old one is basically useless as it is in bad neglect.
Thanks for all the opinions, I do think it was coyotes. I've heard them out there before, and seen one. My wife said she hears dogs running back there in the early evening, but I think it could be coyotes she is hearing.