What killed my chickens??? (pics included)

[kindir]

I had 2 free-range bantams who have been around for a couple of years now. Each night I carefully put them away locked in their coop and each morning I let them out. Yesterday I let them out at around 9:00 and when I got home at 4:00 they were gone! I looked around and found a bunch of feathers:



and right next to the feathers were droppings from whatever ate my chickens:



I'm not sure if it's the same animal, but something small dug under another of my coops and ate 3 chickens there about 2 weeks ago. Was too small of a hole to be a racoon unless it was an immature one. Fisher Cat? My barn cat (so far) is alive and well - I'd think he'd be gone if it was a fisher, but I'm no expert. I've seen foxes around, maybe a fox?

 

[chicktwins]

So sorry about your loss.

I really hope someone can figure out what did it. Just a question.......would a mammal eat every part of the chicken? I noticed there are only a few feathers left, no parts. I didn't pay attention to your location so I don't know if snakes could be a culprit where you are. Maybe a large snake??

 

[kindir]

Oh, thanks I completely forgot to post - I'm in Connecticut. I doubt it would be a snake. But you are correct in that there were NO parts at all. Not even a whole lot of feathers. I had gotten very comfortable with them free-ranging since they'd been doing it so long without a problem. I figured as long as I made sure they were put away at night they'd be fine. Guess not. So upsetting, they were a gorgeous pair of D'Anvers.

 

[Stingrayg4]

With the whole bird being gone like that I'd guess it was a coyote or a fox. They'll carry it away and eat it elsewhere. Raccoons & weasels tend to tear into the body, eat as much of the insides as they can and leave the carcass behind.

-S