What killed my chicken ⚠️ Trigger warning- graphic picture

[Alnelson]

Woke up to a dead chicken We had a flock of 5 and one got killed last night. Wondering if anyone can tell what type of predator from the carcass. Head and feet weren’t touched. Just the abdomen area.

 

[skeeeter]

opossums do that, kill your chickens and just eat the guts

 

[Penpal]

Raccoons start at the head, eat the neck, then shoulders. Then, they are full and go home. Fox take the chicken with them, you just find feathers. Opossum sounds like your culprit. They tend to be nocturnal. Where did it get in?

 

[Alnelson]

Raccoons start at the head, eat the neck, then shoulders. Then, they are full and go home. Fox take the chicken with them, you just find feathers. Opossum sounds like your culprit. They tend to be nocturnal. Where did it get in?

This is what I am thinking after reading more online. We had a gap between the coop and the roof that it must have gotten in. Spent all day tightening the coop up. I typically leave the door open overnight but tonight it’s shut and I pray I still have 4 chickens in the morning.

 

[Penpal]

Today about 6:00 p.m. I saw something white in a little gardens pot with a bush and lots of rudbeckia. Upon investigation I found Blanche, her abdomen torn open. What is with all the opossum killings? I've never lost a chicken or duck to an opossum. I will be putting poison out.

 

[Alnelson]

Today about 6:00 p.m. I saw something white in a little gardens pot with a bush and lots of rudbeckia. Upon investigation I found Blanche, her abdomen torn open. What is with all the opossum killings? I've never lost a chicken or duck to an opossum. I will be putting poison out.

I’m sorry for your loss. I’m new to chickens and loss is def the worst part so far

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Today about 6:00 p.m. I saw something white in a little gardens pot with a bush and lots of rudbeckia. Upon investigation I found Blanche, her abdomen torn open. What is with all the opossum killings? I've never lost a chicken or duck to an opossum. I will be putting poison out.

I am sorry for your loss. If you keep your coop locked after dusk, and your coop is solidly built, you shouldn't have any more losses. Most predators are nocturnal. Raccoons can break through chicken wire easily, so if your coop is made of that, you'll do well to reinforce with hardware cloth. Raccoons can also open simple latches, so foil them with caribiners or other complex clasps.

As for putting out poison, please consider carefully. What kind of poison would you use, and what kind of bait? Could a dog or cat get hold of it? If an opossum does get it, where will it go to die? Will you be able to dispose of the carcass, so it doesn't stink up the neighborhood for weeks? Poison is is slow and painful and is considered inhumane as it may not result in death. It may even be illegal, so check with your local authorities. Live-trapping is more humane but then you have to figure out what to do with it. Relocating onto someone else's property is not neighborly and again may be illegal. You might check with your local animal control and see what they advise. You may be able to release it in a national park or similar area, but find out first.

 

[Penpal]

The killing happened in the afternoon, about 2:00, not when you would expect a raccoon or opossum.

I use poison that puts the animal into a coma before there would be pain. The only predators are fox, opossum, little weasels, and raccoon. I would not trap and relocate because a) they will often come back b )they would be invading another predator's territory and c) you will be giving someone else your problem.