what takes heads off chickens? Warning Graphic info. no pics

[LearninMyFlock]

It is either a coon or a Weasel.

Even if the head wasnt eaten? Just severed? The one bird was mostly eaten but there was a head left behind. The other one was just beheaded with the head laying with the whole bird.

 

[LearninMyFlock]

THANKS That's what I was getting at to find info. Because I don't have alot of money to spend on high security but I want to get to the root of the problem. It's just like really weird! But I've also discovered some other birds just plain disappeared. So I keep looking for info. And the poor things are kept in the run for now.

Youre right it will probably be back.
I see you point but I think it matters greatly what did it .
A lot easier to take care of a predator problem when you know what you're dealing with.
I had a similar issue with heads being removed and wasnt sure what was doing it. Most everyone said coons. I spent a week on coon defense and lost a few more birds. Turned out it was a great horned owl. Solved the problem but wasted a lot of time and effort and a few birds lives hunting the wrong thing.

 

[maralpz2006]

A week ago something got into my one of my chicken coop, and killed 6 , just head was missing of the 6 chickens, i looked at the door and it was a little hole, i was to small fir a racoon to get in, whatever it was digged under , i was thinking maybe a possom

 

[TattooedChicks]

Sounds like a hawk to me, they like brains.

 

[LearninMyFlock]

Raptor of some sort. Information needed about age and size of victim plus the distribution of lose feathers and time of day attack happened, but the head and neck is often the first part of the bird to come into contact with a predators' mouth so a beheaded chicken is not necessarily a good indicator of the species of predator.

For instance a great horned owl will often eat the head first then continue down the body.
While a K9 may grab the bird by its neck and shake for all it's worth also severing the head.

Ok. Thanks! Fairly nice sized birds. 3

 

[LearninMyFlock]

Phone acting up!

Ok. Thanks! Fairly nice sized birds. 3

3mo or so Easter eggers so not a real small bird. Very few scattered feathers. I'd day none but there was maybe a tuft or so. The whole bird was laying their with the head with it.... just beheaded nothing eaten from that one. .... the other one was little pieces spread over like 6ish feet or so. A head. A tiny bit of backbone with feathers on it. Entrails. The heart I believe. Close to the head looked like the crop as it had the chicken food with it. Other than those pieces the whole thing was cleaned up. And no or very little feathers left. But nothing on the heads was eaten. That's what puzzles me with all the info I've found. They eat the head first. These heads were off but Not damaged. O and time? Possibly over night. Sometime between 8pm n 8am. As we had no predator problems we knew of and last year no issues I left them sleep in the trees if they wished. (No more of that obviously!!!!)

 

[LearninMyFlock]

Sounds like a hawk to me, they like brains.

But the entire head was still there??? Read above post I just posted door some more details. ??? Granted I'm very puzzled and obviously still a newbie.

 

[LearninMyFlock]

What has me puzzled is the head was totally off but not missing. So gross.
So sorry about your loss!!!!!

A week ago something got into my one of my chicken coop, and killed 6 , just head was missing of the 6 chickens, i looked at the door and it was a little hole, i was to small fir a racoon to get in, whatever it was digged under , i was thinking maybe a possom

 

[LearninMyFlock]

What has me puzzled is the head was totally off but not missing. So gross.
So sorry about your loss!!!!!

A week ago something got into my one of my chicken coop, and killed 6 , just head was missing of the 6 chickens, i looked at the door and it was a little hole, i was to small fir a racoon to get in, whatever it was digged under , i was thinking maybe a possom

 

[CrowHollowFarm]

If I understand correctly and they were roosting in trees at night I would also agree that it was a owl. They could be teaching the young to hunt this time of year.