What killed my hen?

[Ebz5003]

I was letting them free-range yesterday when I heard a cry of terror and then noticed that Oceanne, one of my favorite hens, was missing. This morning I found what is in these pictures. There were a few feathers trailing from the brush where she was grazing to this 1st picture that is a pile of feathers, some bloody. Then I walked abput 20 or 30 ft further down into the woods, to find the 2nd/3rd pictures. Whatever it was chewed/ ate the neck, and exposed a lot of meat, but didn't eat a lot. There was a branch on top of the legsthat looks like it has been gnawed? The feet are even still attached.There was a hawk up in a tree directly above it this morning. Warning: these pictures are extremely graphic!

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Since it went for the neck, it was probably a possum.
Although I have lost a girl to a skunk as well.
The feathers wouldn’t have been ripped out quite so much if it was a bird of prey.

I’m so sorry about your poor girl! Loosing chickens makes me so sad.

 

[Ebz5003]

Since it went for the neck, it was probably a possum.
Although I have lost a girl to a skunk as well.
The feathers wouldn’t have been ripped out quite so much if it was a bird of prey.

I’m so sorry about your poor girl! Loosing chickens makes me so sad.

This was a large hen-at least 5lbs. Are you saying an opossum could drag a bird this big? Thank you...yes, she was one of the first 6 chicks I got last year, and queen of the flock before I got roosters, so it is hard