Turkey with head ripped off-Graphic pictures

[Bertram]

A few weeks ago I found a chicken with it's head ripped off and just the body left. The unformed egg yolks were still in the body along with a good chunk of the breast meat. There was also a trail of feathers from where it had run or been dragged trough the fence and across the field.
The same day something took one of my juvenile turkeys. Same predator, the head was missing and there was feathers and intestine bits leading into the woods. The turkey was taken between 3 and 4 in the afternoon.
Roughly two weeks later the same thing happened to another turkey in the morning and one of my pullets disappeared. There were bits of the turkeys crop lying about but I didn't find the pullet. No feathers. The pullet might have been taken by a different animal. The whole pasture is surrounded by 4 foot cattle fencing so my guesses are fisher, racoon, or a predatory bird.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

How heavy was the turkey live? I'd bet raccoon

 

[Bertram]

I don't know. 15-20lb? They are 10 week old meat turkeys.

 

[ShotgunDog]

I don't know how big owls get in your area, but I have seen owls behead their prey, and yes, even during the daytime. After seeing it for the 2nd time, I researched it. Owls can take down some large prey but can only eat the head. Or, will eat the head first and then come back for the rest of it later. There is a lot of nutrition in the head for them. It is rare for owls to hunt during the day, but it does happen, especially if it is a young owl.

 

[Charlie Wooster]

I don't know. 15-20lb? They are 10 week old meat turkeys.

15-20 lbs?.. at 10 weeks

 

[Bertram]

I don't know how big owls get in your area, but I have seen owls behead their prey, and yes, even during the daytime. After seeing it for the 2nd time, I researched it. Owls can take down some large prey but can only eat the head. Or, will eat the head first and then come back for the rest of it later. There is a lot of nutrition in the head for them. It is rare for owls to hunt during the day, but it does happen, especially if it is a young owl.

I have never seen or heard an owl in my area.

15-20 lbs?.. at 10 weeks

That was my bad estimate. I weighed them and they're closer to 13lbs.

 

[Bertram]

Yesterday something attacked two more turkeys. They are both still alive but one has a leg wound and the other got patch of feathers ripped out from under her wing. Based on the location of the wounds I am suspecting a ground predator. Probably a fisher.

 

[Luv Ducks]

It sure looks like the work of a racoon. I don't know if you have them in your area or not but they will return for sure until they finish off a flock. Years ago my Son lost all of his chickens and ducks to them. So sorry for your loss. They removed all the heads and ate all of the entrails.