What killed my chicken?

[CorineM]

Hi all, I recently moved to Virginia from Arizona, and have just lost my first chicken to a predator. The coop is part of my barn, I cant see where anything came in. The chicken killed was one that slept on the floor, she had a deformed foot and was not able to fly or jump. The strange thing to me is that she was left in the coop, dead, her neck and head chewed on and she was pretty much hollowed out? No sign of struggle. Then the next day I DID find some feathers on the ground where she had dies (from another chicken) however all chicks are accounted for, thank God. What could this be? A rat? We live in the woods, very rural so I'm thinking we have pretty much every predator know to chickens around here.

 

[Isadora]

Can we see some pictures of your setup?
The kill sounds like a raccoon or possum.

 

[CorineM]

Can we see some pictures of your setup?
The kill sounds like a raccoon or possum.

I'm getting ready for work, but will take some tomorrow, I was also thinking possum after doing some more research.

 

[Miss Cheep]

It sounds like a skunk to me. We lost several ducks and a couple chickens this way. We thought it was a raccoon, or an owl, but we bought a live trap from tractor supply and baited it. The next day there was a skunk in the trap. We were looking for a raccoon so we let it go, and again there was a skunk. So we figured that was what had been killing our birds. There was little to no skunk smell in the coop when we found the dead chickens.

 

[CorineM]

It sounds like a skunk to me. We lost several ducks and a couple chickens this way. We thought it was a raccoon, or an owl, but we bought a live trap from tractor supply and baited it. The next day there was a skunk in the trap. We were looking for a raccoon so we let it go, and again there was a skunk. So we figured that was what had been killing our birds. There was little to no skunk smell in the coop when we found the dead chickens.

Damn! A Skunk? Never thought they would kill chickens? I have an idea where it may have gotten in, going to fix that quickly before work and going to hang up game cam as well tomorrow, Just hoping they stay safe for tonight while I work and tomorrow I can do some more investigating, research and fixing!! Thanks!

 

[Miss Cheep]

We didn't think it was a skunk either! You're welcome!

 

[cmom]

Did you get your camera up and figure out what the predator was? Just curious. Good luck...

 

[CorineM]

Thank you for asking!! I had the game cam up for three nights and nothing showed up. But, meanwhile I discovered these "holes" in the straw right next to the nesting box I found her in (I use dog kennels as nesting boxes). And also today I found that all eggs were gone! I am suspecting a rat?

 

[PopoMyers]

Did you move all the straw to see if there are tunnels beneath?

 

[CorineM]

I have not, as the tunnel was at the very side, appears to be going under the barn. Meanwhile there is a new tunnel, also right by where they lay their eggs, also right at the edge of the wall, so cant follow it. I am now assuming a rat. Its pretty cold here with snow and the ground is frozen, plus I am working 50+ hours a week. But will have to fix the problem. I am no longer worried about the current chickens as they all sleep high, but I am expecting an order of babies the end of March and gonna have to take care of rat problem without danger of harming chickens or cats before then.