What killed Molly, my Buff Orp ?

[Songbird Farms]

My Buff Orp – Molly, (8 months old) was killed in the backyard mid-day Friday.

She regularly hoped the run fence and wandered the yard. We allowed her to do this, because we knew that she loved it. And she always went back in for snacks and in the afternoon. We found her in the middle of the wide open yard about 150 feet from the chicken coop/run. ( none of our other 7 chickens attempt to get out )

Lots of feathers scattered around, but very little physical damage to her body. There were two inch long scratches – top of her head and back of her neck, where feathers were removed there but there was no blood.

Thoughts on the predator ?
A hawk ? A cat ? Please advise.

We have seen a hawk nearby several times.


Thanks.

 

[chickencheeper]

My Buff Orp – Molly, (8 months old) was killed in the backyard mid-day Friday.

She regularly hoped the run fence and wandered the yard. We allowed her to do this, because we knew that she loved it. And she always went back in for snacks and in the afternoon. We found her in the middle of the wide open yard about 150 feet from the chicken coop/run. ( none of our other 7 chickens attempt to get out )

Lots of feathers scattered around, but very little physical damage to her body. There were two inch long scratches – top of her head and back of her neck, where feathers were removed there but there was no blood.

Thoughts on the predator ?
A hawk ? A cat ? Please advise.

We have seen a hawk nearby several times.


Thanks.

Maybe a bobcat or cat?

 

[Eggsoteric]

My guess would be raptor. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome, and so sorry for your loss. I think a raptor, and she was too big to carry off.
Cover your run, and keep your other birds in for a couple of weeks, until that hawki moves on, if that's who it was.
Any critter who killed your bird will return, so protect your survivors.
Free ranging is always a risk, but the birds do want to be out. It's hard.
Mary