What predator only decapitates, doesn't eat

[Coralietg]

We lost 7 hens in January, 3 bodies we found had the heads missing. The 4 MIA, never returned. Presumed dead.

We figured it was a fox or raccoon. Our fault, as we forgot to lock the coop door that night.

Sorry for your loss, it's heartbreaking

 

[hollyinpa]

What baffles me is that our three dogs didn't hear anything happening and I didn't either. My bedroom window was open and facing a part of the yard where 3 of the hens died. How can something chase 7 hens out of their henhouse and kill at least 4 of them without making any kind of ruckus? If I'd have heard something maybe I could have saved some of them. My heart is heavy. Raised them all from only a few days old.

 

[ShakeragSusan]

I am so sorry about your girls!

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think we have weasels in western Kentucky. I have lived here all my life and have never seen one or heard a friend talk about seeing one.

I know we have raccoons. They have caused me to stop feeding the wild birds because the 'coons empty the feeders every night.

 

[smittyG]

You might have a weasle....Weasles and the mink go for the neck! Their small, sneaky and cunning! We had a problem with em for a time. Kill trap em or you can try a live trap and see what shows up.

 

[ShakeragSusan]

I have seen minks in the area, but there is not enough water to have them around home.

Well, according to eNature, we have long-tailed weasels, mink, and I had forgotten about skunks. We have spotted and striped.


Hmm.

What of all these would attack in the daytime? It may have been as late as dusk, but generally, everyone is home and locked up by then.

 

[hollyinpa]

Or attack happened between midnight and 5am...still no sign of the 3 hens who are unaccounted for.

 

[McGobs]

We had something take one of our silkies at 2:00 in the afternoon. Nothing left but a trail of feathers leading to the woods. And we were all outside...and didn't hear anything. Didn't scare any of the other birds...nothing. The bird even had 4 chicks following her around...and they were all fine(chances are she died protecting them..but still).

We did have one that disappeared on us once. Never came in when it got dark. She reappeared 2 days later without a scratch on her, acting like nothing happened. To this day I have no idea where she went.

 

[backwoodstexas]

Chupacabra!!

Anytime we have such a chicken death, I blame the chupacabra.

Seriously, our biggest predators are owls and coons (raccoons for you urbanites lol) at night and hawks in daylight. Dogs and snakes are a possibility day or night.

I wrap the lower 2 foot of my run in netting for snakes and make sure there's no snake access to the coop. I have a perimeter fence and nothing bigger than 1" wire on the run. I am really paranoid about some critter killing my chickens. Given enough time, any predator will eventually kill a chicken or two, it just happens.

I am sorry for your loses. Don't give up. Get more chickens.

 

[ShakeragSusan]

Well, it was a fox. I saw him in my front yard in broad daylight within 20 feet of my chickens!

 

[ShakeragSusan]

Does anyone have any experience using predator pee?