Warning graphic who done it mystery

[KatDawson]

Don't ascribe too much power to the predator. Often there is quite the tussle while a predator chases and attacks your chickens multiple times. There is no evidence as such that the hen or rooster was dragged anywhere, only that it expired while not in the coop.

The same is true of things like feathers. Predators generally hate feathers and spit them out as soon as they get a mouthful. Where is your physical location? It would help greatly to know the physical location of you location to within maybe a 100 miles or 160 km either side of your coop.

 

[KatDawson]

Chickengeorgeto feathers are treaded through the edges of the concave hardware cloth opening in the door sugesting the hen was pulled through. But who knows. I live in a wooded area in the gulf coast region of Tx

 

[KatDawson]

If only one predator, then raccoon.

Show a picture of setup so we can harden it against incursions before predator returns tonight. Be prepared to leave most recent carcass where you found it to by some time where predator concentrates on that as you do your work. I have outright moved small groups of chickens for a night or two when I could not make changes needed fast enough.

A live trap or dog proof trap can be placed to catch critter. Dispatch it if captured.

Consider using electrified wire around perimeter of poultry area.

Get a game camera and set it up to work on 30 second intervals.

 

[Stepnout]

I’m voting egg sucking bird killing possum! Here is a link from another site. As I stated in an earlier post I’ve seen a couple possums when I was hunting in Iowa but no real experience around them. Hope you get what ever it is.
All God’s creatures have a place on earth, just not in our coops.
https://www.mypetchicken.com/backya...ed-to-know-about-opossums-if-I-keep-H170.aspx

 

[centrarchid]

Setup up a perimeter hotwire. I am doing same this morning around a dog kennel to start breaking in dogs, especially a pup, where they are concerned about new location for a pen outside poultry yard. Hotwire positioning also appropriate for Raccoons and Opossums. Both are easy to repel using hotwire.

 

[Melissa_WV]

Our automatic hen house door malfunctioned multiple times and we finally shut it off and blocked the hole with rocks. We have raccoons and they are much stronger than you can imagine. A raccoon killed our full grown barred rock rooster and dragged him out the malfunctioning automatic door. We found feathers and blood trail only. Raccoons are incredibly destructive.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Hmm... Did you consider weasels?
Eggs and chickens are taken by these varmints!

 

[KatDawson]

Setup up a perimeter hotwire. I am doing same this morning around a dog kennel to start breaking in dogs, especially a pup, where they are concerned about new location for a pen outside poultry yard. Hotwire positioning also appropriate for Raccoons and Opossums. Both are easy to repel using hotwire.

Our automatic hen house door malfunctioned multiple times and we finally shut it off and blocked the hole with rocks. We have raccoons and they are much stronger than you can imagine. A raccoon killed our full grown barred rock rooster and dragged him out the malfunctioning automatic door. We found feathers and blood trail only. Raccoons are incredibly destructive.

Hmm... Did you consider weasels?
Eggs and chickens are taken by these varmints!

Bonnie stomper

 

[KatDawson]

Bonnie stomper i havent seen or heard of them in my area but the carcas suports your theory.

 

[KatDawson]

Our automatic hen house door malfunctioned multiple times and we finally shut it off and blocked the hole with rocks. We have raccoons and they are much stronger than you can imagine. A raccoon killed our full grown barred rock rooster and dragged him out the malfunctioning automatic door. We found feathers and blood trail only. Raccoons are incredibly destructive.