Who did this?!?

It could have been a raccoon. For information on coop and run ideas, go to the coop and run design forum here. You can get some great ideas there.

 

My dog just killed on of my chickens today (first time ever), she stripped its neck of tissue and feathers, head was still there and rest of body too, weirdest darn thing ever, she never messed with them all this time free range, last few weeks been rainy and i kept them in till 2 days ago and today she killed my Australorp, the other is hangin in there but prob wont make it thru night, She has puncture wounds around rear and really bad on back between wings. Sad to lose not only your wonderful egg layers but your pets (which i originally bought chickens to lay eggs and become stew, but grown to love as pets)

 

Might have been a weasle. I'd think the one with the broke leg probably injured itself in the chaos of the attack rather then from a direct attack. I think of weasles getting in thru holes more than climbing though the head/neck damage and the birds not being eaten does sound like a weasle. The injuries you descibe don't sound like a raccoon to me, but the climbing in does...

 

Mink, could easily get passed chain link. I hear they kill for fun, not always for food. Vicious little critters. I have a neighbor where one killed the whole flock, but never ate any.

Sometimes they will come back for a carcass. Perhaps you could set out some "bait" and see what shows up..Keep a pellet gun handy.

 

Sounds like a Bobcat, especially since the head wasn't eaten and you live in Southern California. I have lost alot of chickens to Bobcats here in Northern California. They can jump easily over a 10 foot fence. They grab their prey by the neck and tail. The birds I have lost had tail, neck and breast feathers left strewn about the yard after an attack. The Bobcat carries them off whole. Best thing to do is cover your chicken yard or ad hotwire to the top and bottom. For every predator you trap or kill there will be another to take its place!! Here is a picture of what I had to do to keep the Bobcats out! GOOD LUCK!

 

When we lived in a different area..weasels were the culprit. They will kill, but not eat. Most predators will eat..sometimes, racoons will just kill, but usually they will eat something..if there was nothing eaten, but just a kill, weasels are bad, if you have them in that area.

 

Ohhh that makes me sad