I need help solving this mystery.

[Boshjeebe2969]

Hello all, im so sad but i have just woken up to the remaining 6 of my chickens all gone. In a really unorthodox way too. 3 were killed and just left alone, no bite marks, no puncture holes, all with their feathers still there. 2 of them were killed and are on the ground, but with missing necks and heads. All their feathers still on them and the full body there as well, just no neck or head and no holes or bite marks. And the last one is just gone, not in the coop at all but i do see her feathers on the ground as if she struggling and got taken away. I do have a camera inside the coop, but it did not detect any person or movement of whatever got to them. Can anybody PLEASE provide some extra info that may help me solve this case here? Because I am at a loss of words for how this happened to my beautiful birds. Thank you

 

[sourland]

sorry for the circumstances. Is there a cover on your pen. Where are you located? Were they large fowl or bantams?

 

[GracePoultry]

This is devastating, I'm so sorry this happened.
Could have been a mink. They can slip into small spaces and just kill for the fun of it. I had a friend loose 30 birds in one night to a mink.

 

[Boshjeebe2969]

sorry for the circumstances. Is there a cover on your pen. Where are you located? Were they large fowl or bantams?

Yes the whole top is covered and even hangs over past the coop. Theres one gate that seperates the inclosed part of the coop from the open part. But they were all inside the closed part with the gate shut. And they were all full grown hens and 1 rooster. Also located here in southern AZ

 

[WingItRanch]

Aw man I'm sorry! That's so sad. Can you tell us your general location (don't need specifics) and maybe take a pic of your coop / run setup? That will help narrow down predators and possible suggest repairs so this never happens again.

 

[Boshjeebe2969]

This is devastating, I'm so sorry this happened.
Could have been a mink. They can slip into small spaces and just kill for the fun of it. I had a friend loose 30 birds in one night to a mink.

I dont think we have minks here in southern az, but i was possibly thinking weasels maybe?

 

[sourland]

Covered top pretty much rules out a Great Horned Owl. Multiple kills with minimal amount eaten can be a sign of a mink or some other mustelid.

 

[WingItRanch]

There are no minks in AZ but they do have long tailed weasels which is a possibility. Without seeing your setup, I'm guessing raccoons or owl just judging by my experience in Tucson area.

Raccoons can open some doors and latches and the killing method sounds similar.

 

[Boshjeebe2969]

Hello all, im so sad but i have just woken up to the remaining 6 of my chickens all gone. In a really unorthodox way too. 3 were killed and just left alone, no bite marks, no puncture holes, all with their feathers still there. 2 of them were killed and are on the ground, but with missing necks and heads. All their feathers still on them and the full body there as well, just no neck or head and no holes or bite marks. And the last one is just gone, not in the coop at all but i do see her feathers on the ground as if she struggling and got taken away. I do have a camera inside the coop, but it did not detect any person or movement of whatever got to them. Can anybody PLEASE provide some extra info that may help me solve this case here? Because I am at a loss of words for how this happened to my beautiful birds. Thank you

Hello all, im so sad but i have just woken up to the remaining 6 of my chickens all gone. In a really unorthodox way too. 3 were killed and just left alone, no bite marks, no puncture holes, all with their feathers still there. 2 of them were killed and are on the ground, but with missing necks and heads. All their feathers still on them and the full body there as well, just no neck or head and no holes or bite marks. And the last one is just gone, not in the coop at all but i do see her feathers on the ground as if she struggling and got taken away. I do have a camera inside the coop, but it did not detect any person or movement of whatever got to them. Can anybody PLEASE provide some extra info that may help me solve this case here? Because I am at a loss of words for how this happened to my beautiful birds. Thank you

Aw man I'm sorry! That's so sad. Can you tell us your general location (don't need specifics) and maybe take a pic of your coop / run setup? That will help narrow down predators and possible suggest repairs so this never happens again.

Ya im in southern Az, and ill post the pics here. It is kind of graphic so be mindful. I marked in red, the only open holes around the coop. And the camera is pointed directly towards the gate and didnt detect anything

 

[Boshjeebe2969]

There are no minks in AZ but they do have long tailed weasels which is a possibility. Without seeing your setup, I'm guessing raccoons or owl just judging by my experience in Tucson area.

Raccoons can open some doors and latches and the killing method sounds similar.

I was thinkg racoons as well, epsecially because our whole coop is covered where they were. But i was also thinking that a predator the size of a racoon would get picked up on the camera but it didnt detect anything