What killed my chickens? *Images of dead chickens*

[beachchickies]

We live in Southeastern NC and have owned 4 backyard chickens for about 2.5 years now. We have a very large fenced in yard (basically a double lot) and let them roam during the day and lock them in the coop at night. We lost 2 a few months ago to predators, I believe to be coyotes. Today, around noon, I walked outside to find feathers everywhere and both chickens dead, but mostly intact. They were at least 50 feet apart, one was under our Willow tree. Whatever killed them didn't eat them. I hadn't even heard/seen any signs of distress and I was only yards away, right near the front door. I'm very upset but mostly confused. Our coyotes are common but not during the day, was this a hawk? Pictures included for reference...

 

[cavemanrich]

A coyote would have carried away the chicken. A hawk is a possibility, but they usually stop at one chicken, and try to carry away to eat where wont be bothered.
Do you possibly have mink, or weasels in your area. They are vicious predators that will kill multiple and return to eat later. (kill multiple to have food for multiple days)
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,, and sorry to hear such disaster.
Also

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Raccoon. This looks like a standard raccoon strike.

 

[yickenscarf23]

It happened in broad daylight? How strange. Weasels can be active during daylight hours in the warm months. I'm so sorry about your birds.

 

[50-45-1]

Dog?

 

[beachchickies]

Dog?

We thought about it....but our fence is the sturdy white picket fence kind, at least 4 feet high. I don't think a dog could jump that, and the only dog near us is ours neighbors elderly lab.

 

[beachchickies]

Raccoon. This looks like a standard raccoon strike.

Really? During the day? Why would it kill both but then not eat them?

 

[Willowspirit]

We thought about it....but our fence is the sturdy white picket fence kind, at least 4 feet high. I don't think a dog could jump that, and the only dog near us is ours neighbors elderly lab.

Maybe there are no dogs in your neighborhood that can jump your fence but I can assure a dog can jump a 4’ fence easily if there’s something they want on the other side. I once watched a 9” high dog jump onto the top of a four foot wall and a 15” dog go right over it.

 

[Ebony Rose]

This was shared on the forums earlier and it might be useful to you
http://www.poultrydvm.com/predator-identifier.php

 

[Rietta]

That's what one of mine looked like when my dog got a hold of it.