Why do owls just eat the head?

[sformel]

I don’t know about the brains part. Anyone who owns chickens know they don’t have any brains. That’s why they’re chickens. The head is free of feathers- that makes sense. I don’t think it’s because when they finish the head they are not hungry any more- sometimes after they kill one chicken and eat his head they do another one. Another thing I’m puzzled about is that an owl apparently lands outside my coop, then walks into the coop to do his dirty deed?? I thought owls and hawks kill mainly by the first swoop and strike?? My run is surrounded by electric netting so it’s not an animal. The open entrance to my coop is at ground level with no door. Of course, now it has a door, but fewer chickens.

 

[cmom]

I never really thought about this? Years ago something was killing birds and I couldn't figure out what was killing them and how the predator was getting in until I put up a game camera and it was an owl. Since I have covered all of my pens.

 

[mastercaster]

Well the main reason why owls usually eat the head because they don't have teeth that is why they need to swallow their prey whole. Moving prey can be irritating to swallow whole. Even chickens are like that. They dont have teeth so they swallow everything they eat.

Source: https://animalroam.com/why-do-owls-eat-the-head-of-their-prey/