What got my hen? Hawk? (warning: gruesome photo)

[Eggstravert]

This is the 2nd hen in a month, no signs of entry under the fence and the carcass was ripped open and eaten in place, not dragged away which I would think a fox or coyote would do? Here's a photo of the aftermath, what do you think? We're in rural Central PA so we do have hawks and occasionally bald eagles can be seen but not super common.

 

[slordaz]

This is the 2nd hen in a month, no signs of entry under the fence and the carcass was ripped open and eaten in place, not dragged away which I would think a fox or coyote would do? Here's a photo of the aftermath, what do you think? We're in rural Central PA so we do have hawks and occasionally bald eagles can be seen but not super common.

View attachment 1887362

could also be feral cat ,rat, skunk that can be diggers or climbers, opossum,possibly an owl if the run isn't covered as they hunt at night. theres some people better at telling , but usually if it's eaten in place it's usually to big for the predator to pack off. Do a perimiter search for tracks unusal scat that will clue you in best, or call wildlife services about depredation and they will send some one out to look and possibly loan you live traps and give advice if you can't figure it out on your own, it will keep coming back as it's found meals. Your coop obviously isn't safe so you might want to post a picture and see what others say you should do to help secure it for your chickens.

@casportpony
@oldhenlikesdogs
@aart

 

[centrarchid]

Looks like a mammal did it, and not a canid like a fox or coyote. Feathers messy around were flesh eaten and I do not see signs of the delicate bite marks a raptor beak makes. Hawk would leave a lot of dry feathers around where consumption took place.

 

[blackandtan]

Birds will pluck a carcass, always, before eating; canines like fox or coyote often eat guts first, and it looks like a lot of fat was left there too. My vote goes to feral cat or possibly skunk...but you should be able to smell some evidence if it was a skunk

 

[aart]

no signs of entry under the fence

What about over the fence?
Multiple preds could have dined here.

More info needed about coop, run, time of death, etc.

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera, put it up because the predator will be back then you will know for sure what you are dealing with.

 

[Chickenlady0628]

It looks to me like a raccoon. We had hens going missing at a rate of 1-2 every two days. Put up a game cam and it was a raccoon! Took a few weeks to trap him but we finally did and he was quickly dispatched. Good luck, I know it’s devastating to find your girls like that.

 

[cmom]

It looks to me like a raccoon. We had hens going missing at a rate of 1-2 every two days. Put up a game cam and it was a raccoon! Took a few weeks to trap him but we finally did and he was quickly dispatched. Good luck, I know it’s devastating to find your girls like that.