What could this be??

[Kitt]

I had 5 silkies in their coop. They were shut in at 5:30 a.m. A few hours later MIL comes screaming in the house. There were 2 dead silkies in the front yard. Not a mark on one and the others abdomen was ripped open. Everything still there.

Found one hiding and 2 are still missing.

No claw marks on door. No holes dug anywhere. Didn't hear anything.\\
There is no way these guys could have gotten out on their own.

Any ideas of what could have happened?

 

[chicmom]

5:30 AM could still be a bit dark, so maybe a raccoon got in there....Their little paws are like hands really.......Do you think they could have opened your coop?

So sorry to hear this!

 

[carrlr]

When I hear about birds having their bellies ripped open, the first thing I think of is Opossum.

 

[Kitt]

Would they have carried them out of the run?? There were only a few feathers on the ground where one was found and about 6 feet away I found a foot from one of the birds.

The other birds were left alone. They are OEGB and an EE. It's like they just went for the silkies.

Going to go out, tear down the run and redo it. Going to sink everything in concrete and redo everything.

The one I found don't have a mark on it. I found it hiding in a corner by the porch behind a trashcan.

 

[carrlr]

If only they could talk. So, you didn't find any way something could get in or your chickens could get out?

 

[Kitt]

Quote:
I wish Widget could talk and tell me what happened. No, I didn't see anything. Widget is now in a dog crate and I am going to go and look that run over with a fine tooth comb.