what killed my hen?

[agarnp]

help- this morning i woke up to some cackling and thought someone laying an egg but when i went out there one of my hens was killed - feathers everywhere- my other chickens were near their coop . the hens head and neck were obliterated to the bone but the rest of body was intact and laying right next to the pen fence. My husband thinks a racoon grabbed its head fromthe outside of fence. i dont see any paw prints on the inside of pen. I am upset but perplexed. Any suggestjons will be appreciated. I include a pic of fence by where it happened. ..they like to scratch right
by there

 

[aart]

Probably a raccoon...they have those nifty little hands and can grab thru a fence with holes that big(2x4"?).
Putting 1/2" mesh along the bottom 3-4 feet of the run wall will prevent that.

 

[agarnp]

uodate--close examinatiin of our outdoor home security camara - it was a hawk

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

help- this morning i woke up to some cackling and thought someone laying an egg but when i went out there one of my hens was killed - feathers everywhere- my other chickens were near their coop . the hens head and neck were obliterated to the bone but the rest of body was intact and laying right next to the pen fence. My husband thinks a racoon grabbed its head fromthe outside of fence. i dont see any paw prints on the inside of pen. I am upset but perplexed. Any suggestjons will be appreciated. I include a pic of fence by where it happened. ..they like to scratch right
by there

I had a problem with something getting mine as well. Set up a game camera and found out it was a possum. Ate the head off and left the rest. They can climb a fence, so can a raccoon. Now I have to go out every evening and close the coop and open up in the morning. I have seen where one has been roaming in the run by the tail mark dragging in the dirt.

 

[agarnp]

I had a problem with something getting mine as well. Set up a game camera and found out it was a possum. Ate the head off and left the rest. They can climb a fence, so can a raccoon. Now I have to go out every evening and close the coop and open up in the morning. I have seen where one has been roaming in the run by the tail mark dragging in the dirt.

thanks- we have possums out there too b/c there are in acres of woods around us--geeze they have been safe for almost a year and now this. thanks for input

 

[agarnp]

Probably a raccoon...they have those nifty little hands and can grab thru a fence with holes that big(2x4"?).
Putting 1/2" mesh along the bottom 3-4 feet of the run wall will prevent that.

yes--thats exacly what we plan to do..thank you

 

[aart]

uodate--close examinatiin of our outdoor home security camara - it was a hawk

Did it come down inside the run?
Was thinking about this thread after posting before, wondering if that enclosure had a roof.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

uodate--close examinatiin of our outdoor home security camara - it was a hawk

Surprised it didn’t take the whole thing. Must have been a small hawk.

 

[agarnp]

Did it come down inside the run?
Was thinking about this thread after posting before, wondering if that enclosure had a roof.

It doesnt

Did it come down inside the run?
Was thinking about this thread after posting before, wondering if that enclosure had a roof.

Surprised it didn’t take the whole thing. Must have been a small hawk.

Did it come down inside the run?
Was thinking about this thread after posting before, wondering if that enclosure had a roof.

 

[agarnp]

It doesnt - I attach a pic of compound- that hawk flew in between the secure coop (which door was open so they can go in and out during day) and the carport area. The whole thing has a 6 foot fence around it