What killed chicken (NY)? Warning: Graphic Pictures

[Tylexie]

I'm in a suburban area of NY with lots of woods/forests around. I was free ranging my chickens this afternoon and found one of them dead. I've had one chicken killed by foxes before (all we had for evidence was a bunch of feathers outside the coop) but this one wasn't carried off or eaten. Her neck was mangled and she has one bloody spot on her wing. Her butt is also a little bloody. There was a trail of her feathers leading from one spot, under an evergreen tree (the space is about a 1 to 1.5 feet high and the tree is pretty wide), and out the other side where I found her body.

I have been seeing a cat around my yard recently. It seems wild and runs away whenever I open the door. I'm thinking it could've been the cat. Can anyone help me find out what it was?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would also lean toward the predator was the cat.

 

[aart]

Not likely a cat....could have been that same fox, and you interrupted it's meal.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. Sad to say, but when you free range you will loose birds sooner or later. I learned the hard way too. Now all of my birds have nice large pens. After some losses I extended my pens an additional 10 feet. Now the birds are accustomed to their pens and when I have opened the gates, they may come out but soon they are all back in their pens. My land is mostly open pasture. I would suggest if you have a game camera, put it up I love my cameras. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity. Since it made a kill it will be back and if you can get it on camera you can form a plan on how to deal with it. If you have a trap put it out and maybe you will catch the predator. If you do trap and catch the predator, be prepared to eliminate it. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

I also have electric wires around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates and good heavy duty netting covering all of the pens. All was done due to losses from predators in the past. Again, good luck...

 

[Chicks in VA]

maybe the cat or a young predator is my guess