What would just eat the heads?

[ranchogordo]

Not a pretty morning at our house. I sent my 11 year old to feed scraps and collect eggs and he came back pretty upset. All but one were headless! One seems to have tried to escape, but didn't. All of the heads were gone! Really awful. My son heard sounds and he said it sounded like horse outside his window. We are on a rural mountain so it could have been anything but the heads only might be a clue.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Owls, weasels.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/151316/weasels

One poster on that thread mentions raccoons.

 

[littleoak]

It's a weasel or mink or something in that family. They take the heads and hide the for later. They are after the blood in the chicken so they cut the neck and remove the head to get the blood. If you search around under buildings or things like that you will probably find the hideout. They stay pretty close the the food source so it is nearby. During the day you may also find the weasel sleeping there. Don't get bitten.