What happened to Lady Gray

[FeatherstoneFrm]

Our sweet Silkie was found this morning in the community nest box. She was pretty well damaged on one side but not eaten. She was also surrounded by eggs.
I'm thinking this was not a predator since nothing was eaten.
Could the other girls have done this?
If she refused to leave the box when another wanted to get in, would she have done this?
The other girls are: 1 RIR, 1BA, 2EE's, and 1 Appenzeller.
Any ideas? (Sorry for the graphic image)

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

How is your coop set up?
Did you use hardwire cloth?
I see the head is mangled, do you have weasels in your area?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Something attacked have to agree with fowl on this one Amazon has a great price on rolls of hardware cloth I am sorry you had to loose one

 

[FeatherstoneFrm]

My coop is in a chain link dog run that is wrapped and topped in poultry netting. I have hardware cloth on the ground around the outside.
I haven't heard of any weasles around but i guess it could be a possibility. We do have opossums and raccoons. Would a weasle not have eaten the eggs?
I am researching and planning a better coop/run. I hope I don't lose any more before then.
Thanks for your help

 

[pennyJo1960]

It is the chain link with chickens wire a coon or weasel can get through please order the hardware cloth or head to the farm store as it will be back for more meals probably coon as weasel kills for sport would kill all

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

My coop is in a chain link dog run that is wrapped and topped in poultry netting. I have hardware cloth on the ground around the outside.
I haven't heard of any weasles around but i guess it could be a possibility. We do have opossums and raccoons. Would a weasle not have eaten the eggs?
I am researching and planning a better coop/run. I hope I don't lose any more before then.
Thanks for your help

A weasel will kill for the sake of killing at times. They will leave the eggs if they get the hen.

 

[Molpet]

weasels can get through any hole bigger than 1/2 "
they eat little but kill a lt
and they don't eat eggs

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

weasels can get through any hole bigger than 1/2 "
they eat little but kill a lt
and they don't eat eggs

Weasels do infact eat eggs if they can get to them and be undisturbed. A least weasel can get through a smaller hole like you said.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet hen! Bear hugs!
That predator will definitely come back! Good luck keeping the rest of your flock safe!

 

[WindingRoad]

Our sweet Silkie was found this morning in the community nest box. She was pretty well damaged on one side but not eaten. She was also surrounded by eggs.
I'm thinking this was not a predator since nothing was eaten.
Could the other girls have done this?
If she refused to leave the box when another wanted to get in, would she have done this?
The other girls are: 1 RIR, 1BA, 2EE's, and 1 Appenzeller.
Any ideas? (Sorry for the graphic image)
View attachment 1682030

Was she locked in the coop or in the run. I'm confused. I lock mine in the coop overnight. Even though I have my run banked with snow to the hilt, it's frozen into the ground. It's winter and pickings in nature are probably pretty thin so a chicken is a good meal. Looks like some was eaten.