What could have killed my chicken?

[bossynbella]

Yesterday I went to my moms so my DH took care of the chickens for me. He called and said that one of our EE's (Eragon) was dead she had decided to spend the night out in the nestboxs we have outside a few of them had been sharing them for the last few nights as the weather was warmer and they seemed to enjoy it. We have never had any problem with predators other then hawks and then only during the day. But she was laying half out of the bottom box and her breast bone was torn out and her insides were gone. We have a fence around but have been leaving the door open because of all the snow. We havn't lost a chicken since last august and the hawk just took the whole chicken. Any ideas as to what this could be? we are locking them in the coop at night now and are going to get a live trap from his dad but would like some idea of what we are trying to catch.

 

[silkiechicken]

With internals eaten on the spot and not dragged away like a coon or fox would do... I say it was an opossum who found an easy meal.

 

[horsejody]

I'm thinking possum too. Coons can eat on the spot too, so that is a possibility, but they usually make quite a mess when they do. Possums like to go for soft tissue. Coons don't care. Weasels often kill more than one bird and take a bit off each. Probably a possum. Trap it and shoot it. It will be back. Put cat food in a trap. It will take the bait.

 

[bossynbella]

We will be getting a live trap from his dad this weekend. No more signs so far. We have seen lots of opossums around before but they usually just got into the garage and ate the dog food. DH shot two of them last fall.