What killed my chicken?

[Mellysandwich]

There other day I let my 9 hens and rooster out of the coop, but neglected to do a head count due to trying to quickly return to my potty training toddler. When I came back out late morning to give them food scraps I noticed one bird was missing. When I looked in the coop right there by the pulley door her carcass was laying. You cannot tell from the picture but most of her neck and a fair bit below it was gone. My thought is that a raccoon lifted the door at night? I don't think it happened during the day. The coop is surrounded by fence, but isn't electrified currently so I think some animals are gaining access at night. I've definitely seen a skunk in there. My thought is that whatever got her was likely still in there when I opened the coop up in the morning and I just didn't see it.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

Looks like raccoon or opossum. What area are you in? I'm only asking this to get a better idea of what predators would be around you.

 

[Mellysandwich]

Looks like raccoon or opossum. What area are you in? I'm only asking this to get a better idea of what predators would be around you.

We are next to the woods in Ohio. We have 6 acres, most of which is Forest. We have a game cam pointed at the coop now. I'm hoping to see the culprit and better yet trap it.

 

[cmom]

We are next to the woods in Ohio. We have 6 acres, most of which is Forest. We have a game cam pointed at the coop now. I'm hoping to see the culprit and better yet trap it.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

Keep us updated! If you can trap it and it isn't a protected animal, I would suggest culling it humanly so it doesn't come back. Once a predator has had a taste of chicken blood it will not stop eating and killing your chickens.

 

[chickendreams24]

I'm also going to add skunk to the possibilities as just a few weeks ago we had a skunk in the coop and it almost completely consumed a bird in 18-24 hours. It was also the largest skunk I've ever seen. Possum or raccoon are also very likely.

 

[MillersFarm]

Could possibly be a mink? Those nasty things are very good at squeezing through small cracks and holes..

 

[chickendreams24]

Yes I should also have mentioned that. Mink will consume their prey after killing it and drinking the blood.

We had huge problems here with mink in the past. *Knock on wood it doesn't come back* as we were never able to deal with it.

 

[Mellysandwich]

Keep us updated! If you can trap it and it isn't a protected animal, I would suggest culling it humanly so it doesn't come back. Once a predator has had a taste of chicken blood it will not stop eating and killing your chickens.

I will! So far I've failed to trap it or catch anything on my game cam. Another attempt tonight though.

 

[Mellysandwich]

I'm also going to add skunk to the possibilities as just a few weeks ago we had a skunk in the coop and it almost completely consumed a bird in 18-24 hours. It was also the largest skunk I've ever seen. Possum or raccoon are also very likely.

I'm thinking it's a skunk possibly. There is a skunk that regularly visits their fenced in area to get leftovers. I started picking up their food at night so maybe it was able to nudge the door open. None of the other birds were hurt which seems unlike a raccoon.