What killed my chicken?

[3a3y]

Hi!
I was missing a chicken and I found spot with lots of feathers and some blood. And it was just one spot. An hour later I found body 100 meters away from this spot. Chicken was missing a head and Predator left legs and intestines. And the body was found just like that, between spot with feathers and spot with body I couldnt find any blood and feathers. Also between these spots there are many trees, fence and whole garden. This happened at 1 pm and I live in Poland, central Europe. Thank you for your help and sorry for mistakes, English is not my first language.

 

[Jener8or]

I am sorry about your chicken! In my experience, raccoons will take heads of chickens like that. I hope you can find a way to stop your predator before they do that again! I know it is not the simplest solution, but since getting a livestock guardian dog, we don't have raccoon problems anymore. Hopefully you can get a small animal trap and trap it or something. I've heard fish, marshmallows, bacon or wet cat food are good bait for them.

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

 

[Jener8or]

I just noticed you said it happened in the afternoon--I don't think a raccoon would normally predate during the day. It makes me believe it is something different (maybe a fox) but I would think, unless disturbed, they would take their prey and bury it afterward. I am not an expert, though, so hopefully others with knowledge or experience can chime in.

Your english is great, by the way!

 

[aart]

@3a3y what are the possibilities for predators where you live?
Can you set traps?
I don't think raccoons are common outside the US.
Doesn't really matter what killed it, it would be good to keep your birds in a secure run for now.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[3a3y]

I am sorry about your chicken! In my experience, raccoons will take heads of chickens like that. I hope you can find a way to stop your predator before they do that again! I know it is not the simplest solution, but since getting a livestock guardian dog, we don't have raccoon problems anymore. Hopefully you can get a small animal trap and trap it or something. I've heard fish, marshmallows, bacon or wet cat food are good bait for them.

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

Thank you for your answear. We have two guardian dogs but unfortunetly we had them before chickens and we don’t trust them. One day one of them caught chicken and I don’t know what he was planning to do. Do you know how to teach them to protect not kill?

@3a3y what are the possibilities for predators where you live?
Can you set traps?
I don't think raccoons are common outside the US.
Doesn't really matter what killed it, it would be good to keep your birds in a secure run for now.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3931839

I keep them usually on secure run but they prefer free range so I let them from time to time. But after this accident I don’t think I will do that again. I am going to set traps and see what’s gonna happen. Thank you, I will add my location!

 

[3a3y]

I am sorry about your chicken! In my experience, raccoons will take heads of chickens like that. I hope you can find a way to stop your predator before they do that again! I know it is not the simplest solution, but since getting a livestock guardian dog, we don't have raccoon problems anymore. Hopefully you can get a small animal trap and trap it or something. I've heard fish, marshmallows, bacon or wet cat food are good bait for them.

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

I mean we don’t trust them alone with chickens.

 

[McChooky]

I have a secure coop and run in for my chickens with a fence around it for my dogs .I got the dogs first so I had no choice but train them. They were used to my chickens in 6 months and quit salivating by then so I began training them. I also added a baby monitor so my dogs can hear everything going on outside while I'm sleeping.They have always woke me up if anything harassed the chickens. I didn't start free ranging my chickens until my dogs were trained.I doesn't matter how long it takes.Only that you do it

 

[Rkristacc]

I just noticed you said it happened in the afternoon--I don't think a raccoon would normally predate during the day. It makes me believe it is something different (maybe a fox) but I would think, unless disturbed, they would take their prey and bury it afterward. I am not an expert, though, so hopefully others with knowledge or experience can chime in.

Your english is great, by the way!

I agree- sounds like a fox

 

[McChooky]

I've done everything I can reasonably do to minimize the risks of free ranging my chickens because I love every single one of them.
We have too many predators to free range everyday but they still get an hour or two here and there on days that are too risky. Mine have a spacious run so even the lowest bird in the pecking order is safe from predators and isn't being harassed by flock mates. Free ranging is risky business but living life in a bubble isn't really worth the trouble.Instead of worrying about what ate your chicken for dinner focus on all the wonderful things she loved about free ranging.Wildlife has to eat too.

 

[Rkristacc]

I've done everything I can reasonably do to minimize the risks of free ranging my chickens because I love every single one of them.
We have too many predators to free range everyday but they still get an hour or two here and there on days that are too risky. Mine have a spacious run so even the lowest bird in the pecking order is safe from predators and isn't being harassed by flock mates. Free ranging is risky business but living life in a bubble isn't really worth the trouble.Instead of worrying about what ate your chicken for dinner focus on all the wonderful things she loved about free ranging.Wildlife has to eat too.

I agree- wildlife has to eat too. I enjoy watching my chickens when they free range. It seems so unfair to keep them caged all the time.

I allow them out now for a couple hours in the evening when I can watch them real close. I hesitate getting a dog, but I may have to in order to keep predators away.

I lost nine of my hands to a fox that came through and killed them along with one hand who had three baby chicks she hatched it was a devastating loss.