What could of done this?

[Arztwolf]

I came out to find one of my Turken cross pullets, Gertrude, mutilated. I ended up having to put her down.

This is what I found:

Came out to let the older chickens out of the coop, four of the teenagers and mama hen came out. I went in to look for Gertrude and found her behind a panel leaning on the wall of the coop (coop is enclosed with double strands of chicken wire wrapped around a dog run) with her left hind leg dragging behind her, attached to her body by a thin string of tendon. When she was dead, I checked her over more thoroughly and found something had eaten her left hip/flank and the bone from that leg. No other marks on her and I could not find blood or the bone anywhere in the cage, other then the leg she was intact. All the other chickens are ok. There where alot of feathers scattered around though.

We do have raccoons, weasels, foxes and domestic cats.

 

[CrazyTalk]

Is the run covered?

Chicken wire isn't particularly good for protecting animals, but if something had torn it's way in, you'd probably see damage.

 

[Arztwolf]

It is covered. The chicken wire is wrapped around the existing dog run fence, reinforcing it.

 

[jerryse]

Raccoon will reach through wire and pull off parts like legs , wings , toes and head . If they roost near the wire they can reach them . Even had them take the ends of chicks toes that were in cages with 1/2 inch hardware cloth wire .

 

[aart]

No blood?!?!

 

[Arztwolf]

No blood?!?!

Not on the fence, roof, coop or branch/perch. The only blood was from where she was laying.