what predator breaks necks and leaves bodies

[Percheron chick]

I am pretty sure it was a fox or a bobcat due to the tracks being similar to a dog print.

A cat print will not have a claw imprint in the snow. A dog family will (fox, coyote, dog). Dogs can not retract their nails like a cat does.

 

[GhettoRoo]

Skunks.Skunks will often bite/break the heads off and leave the body.Now,I have heard of man who had a owl "Pretend to be a chicken,and just clip their necks of 1 by 1.

Raised owl together with chickens kill chickens anyway?

 

[wilmascluckmom]

I live in Texas and earlier today I came home to find one of my medium sized black hens out in the pasture with the horse and it head had been ripped off and the neck was bare but the bones and everything else was intact laying on its back. A few weeks ago we had a raccoon, cat, and skunk. hanging around but haven't seen them in a while....just hard to take seeing it happen to one of my babies....no matter how old they are they are like my kids...

 

[LuckyLouanne]

I would start a new thread to get the input from all of BYC. I'll try to do it for you - if it doesn't work, copy and paste it into the 'start a new thread' at the bottom left of the comment section.

 

[19disbre]

Unfortunately, we got another 3 inches of snow last night and the tracks are completely covered up. It was really shocking because I had just checked on them and went to refill the water container. I went back out about an hour to 90 minuntes later (5:30 pm) and they had been attacked. This was the first time anything like this happened. Twice we've had a possum in the hen house but it didn't bother the hens, just ate their food. Another time there was a skunk in the run that got stuck trying to get out. I am pretty sure it was a fox or a bobcat due to the tracks being similar to a dog print. Thanks for your help - It was a great comfort to me to know I was not alone.

Sounds like skunk, they are bold like that a coon coyote or fox would've waited longer, in summer they eat almost all plants and fruit and stuff but towards winter they become very carnivorous, if you could post some tracks I could tell you almost for sure unless its a canine then it could be a couple of different things but since I trap I will most likely be able to tell

 

[wilmascluckmom]

I have a neighbor that told me that his dog was fighting with a skunk yesterday and lost so I'm guessing that is the culprit that sprayed the dog so I kept them in today they didn't like it today but it's safer to give it as couple days iin there

 

[19disbre]

Are you actually in texas? Up here skunks wake up about twice a month and semi-hibernate