What killed my chicken :(

[OzarkChooks]

Our chickens of varies ages live in a fenced in 1 acre area near our house. We can see them from our sliding glass door. It is a partially wooded area surrounded on one side by a 30 acre forest. The fencing is electric.

This morning I went out to feed some treats and noticed my black copper maran dead. Intestines and something else pulled out. Feathers everywhere. Everything was left behind though, whatever killed her didn't eat her or take her. What predator does this?

 

[OzarkChooks]

She was found under a tree

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Usually a 'feather explosion' around the body is from a bird of prey (hawk, owl, etc). But they usually eat the head/neck area.

Sorry for your loss. Hopefully someone can help here.

 

[shineandrise]

I am sorry about your loss. I think possibly an owl would do such, as @RosemaryDuck said probably a bird of prey, although raccoons sometimes do this too. This article has been very helpful to me in the past. https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/coops/what-killed-my-chicken-homestead-supplier/

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[OzarkChooks]

Update: I foolishly left the body there because my kids wanted to bury her and were making a little grave site on the opposite side of the house. My husband was out making sure the electric fence was working and he saw a hawk on the ground with the body. The hawk flew off with the body. Maybe it was the hawk who killed her in the first place?

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. It was probably the hawk and it will be back. Apparently your pen isn't covered or partially covered so the birds are exposed to aerial predators. Lessons learned the hard way. These are my pens and they are all covered with good heavy duty netting. I see hawks now and then but they can't get to my birds. Good luck...

 

[OzarkChooks]

So sorry for your loss. It was probably the hawk and it will be back. Apparently your pen isn't covered or partially covered so the birds are exposed to aerial predators. Lessons learned the hard way. These are my pens and they are all covered with good heavy duty netting. I see hawks now and then but they can't get to my birds. Good luck...

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I suspect you are right. Unfortunately we are not set up to have any full coverage, they are in a fenced partially wooded pasture. But we are definitely thinking of what can be built to keep them safe.