Found 8 of my 32 chickens killed after I came home from my soccer tournament

[Hamiltonflock5]

So I came back from a 3 day 4hour away soccer tournament of mine, and found 5 chicks (I just let all the chicks out) and 4 of my hens dead. All the hens bodies except one of the hens wings were gone. And all the chick bodies were there except two of them had their heads ripped off, and the other chicks that passed didn’t look like they had any injuries. But there was feathers everywhere for all of the dead ones, even the ones missing. My dad was taking care of them while I was gone and he said he didn’t notice anything until when I got home. So it all happened in around 1-2 days. I live in a 5 acre forest in Washington state so there is literally every predator here but I just don’t know which on this would be. I just celebrated the 1 year anniversary like 8 days ago of my 4 ladies that got picked off by what looked like coyotes. And I have a chick, and a chicken in shock but still alive. And all my hens and chicks are free range, but I locked them up now.

 

[Theorrin]

Were they attacked during day hours or during the night?

 

[Hamiltonflock5]

Were they attacked during day hours or during the night?

I don’t know, I’m guessing it was at dawn

 

[Theorrin]

I don’t know, I’m guessing it was at dawn

I would guess Opossum or Raccoon maybe even feral cat

 

[nuthatched]

Were your birds loose, in a coop or in a run when you found them? Sorry for your loss?

 

[Hamiltonflock5]

Were your birds loose, in a coop or in a run when you found them? Sorry for your loss?

Yeah I let my ladies free range the property, all their bodies and feathers were found outside of their run

 

[nuthatched]

Yeah I let my ladies free range the property, all their bodies and feathers were found outside of their run

In one area? Any tracks?

 

[SourRoses]

Free ranging chicks, especially at night, is very risky. They can't roost high like adult birds.
In the wild only a small percentage of all the chicks hatched survive for long.
Sounds like the moms gave their lives trying to defend their chicks, but their sacrifice wasn't enough.
What you can rule out is birds of prey, most likely. They'd carry their kills off. So it was likely a mammalian predator. Now that it knows it can get a great meal at your place, it will be back and very determined. So, I'd just make sure your coop is totally secure against predators, and that you lock the birds up every night. Small chicks or injured birds should be protected during the day too.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I don't know that I agree with birds of prey carrying their kills off. Usually domestic chickens are too large. Most of the time they bring one down and you'll find a ring of feathers around the body where the predatory bird plucked them and ate them where they were brought down. Chicks may be carried off.

 

[Hamiltonflock5]

Free ranging chicks, especially at night, is very risky. They can't roost high like adult birds.
In the wild only a small percentage of all the chicks hatched survive for long.
Sounds like the moms gave their lives trying to defend their chicks, but their sacrifice wasn't enough.
What you can rule out is birds of prey, most likely. They'd carry their kills off. So it was likely a mammalian predator. Now that it knows it can get a great meal at your place, it will be back and very determined. So, I'd just make sure your coop is totally secure against predators, and that you lock the birds up every night. Small chicks or injured birds should be protected during the day too.

My chicks are around 3 months old, and most of the chicks looked like they were dying of shock except the ones with the decapitation.