What ate my pullet?

[Strix-Aliana]

I discovered one of my juveniles (about 4 months old) dead yesterday. She had been left off to the side, head missing, laying belly up and her belly open and some stuff removed. Feathers surrounding her. Honestly we had been gone most of the day and by the time I got back some of her siblings were feeding off of her . We do own cats... we also live out in the country with a lot of natural predators. Not sure whether to blame my cats or something else. I’ve been searching the internet for the likely cause but I can’t settle on any one theory.

 

[Strix-Aliana]

Need to mention it occurred during the day

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry for your loss!
It could have been any of a list of predators, it's the downside of free ranging your birds.
Your survivors should be more cautious, and your predator is sure to return, so have them locked in for at least two or three weeks.
Your location will help here too.
House cats are possible but less likely, especially if these birds are over the tiny chick stage. Little Seramas, maybe.
Most likely it was a hawk, although ground predators do strike during the day also. Sometimes a fox will only kill one.
Mary