What's eating my chicken feed??

[Kymw90]

ok so this all happened last week. My electric fence battery had run out a week before. So i ordered another and in the time it took for it to come. First I notice one leghorn hen has a bloody wattle and nose, not serious really looks like she's had a scrap with another hen. Chicken feed was half full. Next day hybrid hen feathers on the floor or the hay barn, hybrid hen found and fine. Next day same hybrid hen is in chicken shed and can't weight bare on 1 leg, no wound, bite or broken skin so other than a bad leg she's fine. Blood everywhere though? Also all chicken feed gone, feeder top off and blood over it. So I clean it up, poorly hen goes into a hutch.i shut hens all in food and all. Battery arrives over the weekend and it works lovely. Chickens get let out. Everything's fine. Go there today and food is gone and feeder top off again but no hens have been taken??? And no hens injured? (Poorly hen is fine btw)

i know there's rats around and I'm sure they eat the food but something big is eating all my feed!!!
What the heck could it be?!!! (I'm in England so won't be a raccoon or skunk lol) all I can think is its a badger because I'm sure a fox would have killed all my hens. Anyone else had this happen?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Borrow a Game Cam from someone and find out.

That's absolutely the best way to find out.

 

[Kymw90]

Also my hens are in a field with my donkeys so no where near my home

 

[Kymw90]

Borrow a Game Cam from someone and find out.

That's absolutely the best way to find out.

No one I know has one. I'll have to buy one. Any idea where i can find a cheapish one? I have considered this. Today I filled the feeder right up and placed it in the corner. I know the hens will not eat a whole feederfull in one day so we'll see again tomorrow if its happened again.
Ive even roped the OH to do a stake-out on Friday if it continues thru the week

 

[CluckyCluck]

I don't know about all the blood and feathers - but for me - the little black birds eat my chickens food!

One day I went into the coop, and a few chickens sleep high up on a ledge and I heard scrambling around, so I stood on something to look and sure enough one was just sitting up under 3 of my hens and my rooster.

They take over the coop if I don't get out there a few times a day. Only since it's been bad weather though. But, yes my chicken food has been going twice as fast.

 

[Kymw90]

I think it's safe to assume this isn't a black bird... I've got a large heavy feeder as I used to have a lot more birds. I have 10 now so the it's handy having a big feeder to fill in case I work late and can't get to them. But this thing is lifting the lid off and scoffing the lot and moving the feeder around. No bird, hen or bbird could do that.

I would say 1 option being, auto coop door. I get to my hens after work in the evening so shutting in at night and opening in the morning isn't an option