(warning - graphic content) Sweet hen killed by unknown predator

[Perin36]

Advance warning - contains graphic pictures and description of attack.



We found my sweet gardening partner, Gabby, mangled on Monday morning. There was evidence of a struggle, which began inside the coop.
We immediately began researching what predator may have committed this crime, and the likely suspect was opossum. To protect our remaining three hens, we have been bringing them inside at night. We are using large cat carriers as makeshift nests right now, since those make transportation easy.
Unfortunately, the food we have set out for the opossum, as a suggested resolution if the predator is opossum, seems to be ignored. I am uneasy leaving the chickens in the coop overnight. DH has tomorrow off, so will be installing the door on the coop. We are not sure if we need a complicated latch for it, as it could be raccoon.
I would appreciate any suggestions for how to protect our chickens.

Some additional details: We noticed about 2 weeks ago that some of the eggs were being eaten in the coop. I thought this might just be the chickens, since the internet suggested that thin shells can lead to breakage, thus the chickens eating the eggs. We had seen this before, when just the two hens were in a smaller coop. Then, there were no eggs at all for a couple days. On Monday, after we discovered Gabby, we realized that it had been 3-4 days that the chickens had laid no eggs.

Retracing the clues left behind, the attack began in the nesting box inside the coop. We are unsure what time it happened. As Gabby tried to fight off the predator, one of our younger pullets tried to assist her. We found pullet feathers along the path, and missing feathers from one pullet's neck. The fight continued across the chicken run. Gabby's carcass was left with little eaten off of her. This follows along with the opossum theory, however, most of the 'tribute' we left out for them has been taken or eaten.

I noticed some yellow spots on her carcass; does anyone know what those are from? I have not seen a dead body before, so am not aware what is 'normal' for such.

Thank you in advance.

 

[sourland]

Good luck in fortifying your coop.

 

[Hei 20]

Advance warning - contains graphic pictures and description of attack.



We found my sweet gardening partner, Gabby, mangled on Monday morning. There was evidence of a struggle, which began inside the coop.
We immediately began researching what predator may have committed this crime, and the likely suspect was opossum. To protect our remaining three hens, we have been bringing them inside at night. We are using large cat carriers as makeshift nests right now, since those make transportation easy.
Unfortunately, the food we have set out for the opossum, as a suggested resolution if the predator is opossum, seems to be ignored. I am uneasy leaving the chickens in the coop overnight. DH has tomorrow off, so will be installing the door on the coop. We are not sure if we need a complicated latch for it, as it could be raccoon.
I would appreciate any suggestions for how to protect our chickens.

Some additional details: We noticed about 2 weeks ago that some of the eggs were being eaten in the coop. I thought this might just be the chickens, since the internet suggested that thin shells can lead to breakage, thus the chickens eating the eggs. We had seen this before, when just the two hens were in a smaller coop. Then, there were no eggs at all for a couple days. On Monday, after we discovered Gabby, we realized that it had been 3-4 days that the chickens had laid no eggs.

Retracing the clues left behind, the attack began in the nesting box inside the coop. We are unsure what time it happened. As Gabby tried to fight off the predator, one of our younger pullets tried to assist her. We found pullet feathers along the path, and missing feathers from one pullet's neck. The fight continued across the chicken run. Gabby's carcass was left with little eaten off of her. This follows along with the opossum theory, however, most of the 'tribute' we left out for them has been taken or eaten.

I noticed some yellow spots on her carcass; does anyone know what those are from? I have not seen a dead body before, so am not aware what is 'normal' for such.

Thank you in advance.

I'm sorry for your loss

 

[Rldad1]

Sorry for your loss. The yellow appears to be body fat. What kind of setup do you have? You will have to up your security. Where are you located?

 

[Perin36]

Sorry for your loss. The yellow appears to be body fat. What kind of setup do you have? You will have to up your security. Where are you located?

I live in Western Washington, near the coast

 

[Rldad1]

My guess for what killed your chicken is most likely possum or skunk. Both love eggs and both will take grown hens. If it was a raccoon then there probably wouldn't have been much of a fight. You need to lock up your chickens at night and secure your coop with hardware cloth. Be aware that raccoons can open barrel bolts and other door locks. Use clevis or locks. Use multiple locks. I have two locks on all my doors and gates. It is also possible that an owl got there especially if the head was taken off. If you can get a game camera, use it as whatever took your bird will be back.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. If you have a game camera, put it up. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and now that it has made a kill, it will be back and then you will know what it is and plan on how to deal with it. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

I use spring latches. Yesterday evening when I went to collect the eggs a latch on a gate to an empty pen was undone and the gate was open. I was out there the other day and maybe I didn't have it latched good. We have had some strong winds. I have never had that issue before so I have no idea how it was opened. I do have cameras but saw nothing on them. I'll keep the cameras on.

 

[Perin36]

Update:
We installed the door on the coop and added a latch with luggage lock. We are shutting the chickens in at night and locking the coop. The chickens have been fine each of the last two mornings, so I feel like we can relax a little.
There is still the gap at the top of the walls, between the wall and the roof. I have spoken with a local person who also has chickens (37, she said), and she believes the measures I have taken are sufficient.
I still feel anxious each morning, when my son lets the chickens out... He messages me at work to let me know they are okay. He has noticed that the survivor of the attack (her name is Blacky) needs extra comforting when he shuts them in at night.
It finally sank in this morning, as we buried Gabby, that she won't be by my side when I work outside... I never thought I would become attached to a chicken.

 

[MykaMom]

I have lost girls to predators and it not just sucks, it hurts. I always feel like I've let them down and not done my job as a chicken keeper.

Possums are known to predate on chickens. They tend to go for the feet. Most possums are NOT a problem. They're not territorial and wander at will. They eat rodents and large bugs.

I've had many turn up inside my coop on a winter evening when I've gone out to close the run for the night. Unless they're very large, I let them stay! The biggest ones I pick up by the tail and toss back out into the cold. They are the ones who could munch on a hen.

My biggest threats haven't come from nature, although raccoons, fox, coyote, Raptors etc will help themselves if they get a chance. Larger rodents such as rats, stoats, mink, weasels etc will burrow in and some chew the wood through to the birds.

My biggest threat has been and remains CATS. They will try and take the bird away to eat at their leisure. Some kill for sport.

There's a chart or file I have somewhere showing the type of damage and attack characteristics of different predators. I'll see if I can find it.