What would do this?

[Ladobaze]

What would kill a chicken in the middle of the day and strip the neck and head of meat but leave everything else? I have a photo but it’s gruesome and I don’t want to post it if it’s not needed.

 

[sourland]

Sounds like the attack of a small to medium sized hawk. Are your birds free ranged or in an open topped pen ?

 

[RainbowHen]

Agree. Sounds like a hawk.

 

[Blkat]

Hawk. Unfortunately, I know this since the same thing you describe happened to our drake two days ago when a red-tailed hawk killed him.