Uninjured Chickens die after attack?

[Poco]

Today I found all my chickens dead but one

Our sweetest chicken was partially eaten, another one had a very minor-looking injury, but I couldn't even find anything on the other two bodies.

I don't think the attack happened that many hours before I discovered them. Did they just die of shock? :'(

*I think the culprit was a weasel, through I've never seen one (here in west-central Florida), yet lots of all the other predators. The damage seems to fit it the best, and the hole in the fencing was very small. I might have missed puncture marks from their small teeth, but there wasn't blood on the feathers either.

 

[OnlyOrps]

Awe that's so heartbreaking! Yeah I think birds can just have heart attacks or die of shock. I wish I could comfort you somehow. What a horrible thing to happen!!!

 

[jtn42248]

Today I found all my chickens dead but one

Our sweetest chicken was partially eaten, another one had a very minor-looking injury, but I couldn't even find anything on the other two bodies.

I don't think the attack happened that many hours before I discovered them. Did they just die of shock? :'(

*I think the culprit was a weasel, through I've never seen one (here in west-central Florida), yet lots of all the other predators. The damage seems to fit it the best, and the hole in the fencing was very small. I might have missed puncture marks from their small teeth, but there wasn't blood on the feathers either.

First I am so truly sorry for your loss. Loss of our birds is bad enough but when it is a small flock, a total loss and unknown cause it can be devastating.

I am sure that birds can be frightened to death. I know that exotics and tropical birds are very sensitive to stressors and can just drop in their tracks when seriously frightened. I see no reason that the same should not apply to the poultry that we have.

 

[HG2705]

I know birds and ducks can die of stress when they get attacked hope those helps sorry about your loss

 

[CrazyTalk]

Did you butcher any of the birds after the fact?

I ask because a lot of canine predators will basically grab and shake, and there can be no external injuries - but when you open the bird up you find everything from crushed vertebrae to broken ribs and all sorts of other internal issues. Canine teeth will only leave small punctures wounds in a lot of cases (a couple mm wide)