What killed my chickens?

[Nalaylas]

Today I found my whole flock decapitated. They have been free ranging without an attack for 1.5 years (and sleep safely in their coop at night) . Their bodies were in various locations throughout the yard mostly whole (one had a tear in its belly ) all without heads. It looks like they were attacked for fun.

Just curious what kind of predator would do this.

 

[HetherHenCommuntiy]

I’m SO sorry for your loss. This very thing happened to me with one hen and my 1 year old rooster. Was the attack at night or during the day!?

 

[Feathers Brady]

Sounds like a raccoon

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What time of day did this happen? One poster said owls do this. Does not sound like a dog to me. In my experience, a dog will eat a chicken starting with the entrails and leave the head.

 

[DiYMama540]

How many were in your flock??

I'm hoping I'm waaay off the mark here, but is it possible that a human would have done this? Depending on how many birds you have, it's hard for me to imagine any predator getting to every one and just decapitating.

 

[Feathers Brady]

Weasels will destroy a flock along with tearing out the innards.also, raccoons.

 

[Hughes Wildlife Farm]

I had 3 hawks swoop down (what looked like a mom with her 2 younger babies-practicing to kill, but not take the whole chicken) they killed my silkies and a young Leg horn.. Thankfully the roos got the others safe under coverage as I ran out to scare off the hawk hurd

 

[EggWalrus]

Sounds like coons, they'll eat the head off every bird in a flock and leave the bodies where they lay. They must like the taste of bird brains. Sorry for your loss. Maybe you can kill the coons and get some more birds.

 

[Below frigid]

Neighbors dog?

 

[EggWalrus]

Neighbors dog?

Dogs usually do one of 2 things. Kill one and eat it stating at the belly if they kill for hunger. Or they kill several while playing with then, but either way dogs usually won't eat the heads.