Dead Chicken

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Erichalfbee

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Anybody any idea what would do this?
I’m away and we have house sitter who heard nothing. 2 hens are missing and 2 safe
Free range in the garden E9FE4595-4061-4103-AC9A-C5D2BD184EC6.jpeg
 
Very little info to go on Dani but a Fox [if it gets in a coup] will usually kill everything. If they're free range Charlie might have missed them. Hence the body count. Charlie will be back mind....
 
I'd not rule out a bold cat either. We have a few that always try it on with our girls.
 
A lot of young foxes starting to learn their trade at this time of year and Chickens plural carried off indicates Charlie.. I lost 11 this summer in one night.
However the striping of feathers and eating the head is indicative of a bird of pray…. Young fox is my guess though
 
A lot of young foxes starting to learn their trade at this time of year and Chickens plural carried off indicates Charlie.. I lost 11 this summer in one night.
However the striping of feathers and eating the head is indicative of a bird of pray…. Young fox is my guess though

Yes,a few months ago we had an old buzzard on the attack; we lost a hen.
 
Do you have pine martins in the area? I used to loose one or two chickens every year to them, though in my limited experience they don't usually leave the body unless something disturbs them like a dog barking or a light.
 
No pine martens that I know
Sad really. One of the hens was 13 years old and a real favourite. They have been safe for 9 years here despite me forgetting to lock them up on a few occasions
I guess we will never know
 
13 years old is incredible! So sorry that you lost her. Our eldest is 5 and a half and we thought she was doing well. Foxes are our biggest worry. Can’t let them out the run without us being in the garden with them.
 
I would say with the chewing on the neck but leaving the vertebrae intact it a small mustelid. Stoat? Weasel? Maybe mink or polcat. Saw that done to a fresh shot pheasant while picking up on a shoot. Bird was shot dropped into long grass at the edge of wood and when it was picked up 20 mins later a stoat had stripped its neck and head.
 
I would say with the chewing on the neck but leaving the vertebrae intact it a small mustelid. Stoat? Weasel? Maybe mink or polcat. Saw that done to a fresh shot pheasant while picking up on a shoot. Bird was shot dropped into long grass at the edge of wood and when it was picked up 20 mins later a stoat had stripped its neck and head.
But with two hens missing ? More the MO of a fox I would suggest ...
 

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