What got my chicken?

[Emwilliams12]

So, as so many stories go, I went down to put my chickens away this evening and noticed I was off by one. My loud squawky Ameraucana "Turkey Chicken" was missing. She was an olive egger.

I looked around and found a mess of feathers and part of a wing under our Eucalyptus tree/bush. It's a weird growing tree. The limbs turn down so is creates a very low canopy. The chickens love to hide under it.

I'm dumbfounded. One of my other chickens looked like she had been roughed up a little. Looks like she got some feathers plucked and maybe a small injury near her beak.

Any clue what it might be? It was something that attacked and stayed under the bush to take care of business. She was one of 7 I have. The others appear to be ok .

Free range during the day and then I lock them up at night. During the day they have access to their coop, which is completely covered. I plan on keep them all inside tomorrow.

I live in Ramona, CA (outside of San Diego). I've had chickens for 3 1/2 years. First one I've lost to a predator. Totally bummed. I loved that chicken.........

 

[cavemanrich]

Really sorry for your loss.

I would suspect raccoon as the likely predator. They usually start their hunting about when chickens go to roost.(evening). They keep at it all night long until they get a meal.
Here is a link that may help you find an answer.
http://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chicken-coops-housing/what-killed-my-chicken/

 

[Emwilliams12]

So definitely a ground animal? I forgot to mention I have two goats in the field with the chickens. The chickens tend to hang around them.

 

[cavemanrich]

If the goats were not attacked , that rules out possible coyote or mountain lion/cougar. Not sure if they are in your area. Feral/wild/loose dogs would also possibly bother your goats as well if they were of large size.

 

[aart]

Really hard to say, it could have been any number of predators,
but probably something smaller and probably 4 legged as carcass was gone and aerial preds usually don't fly ff with body.
But it'll likely be back, so keep em locked up....game cam might help identify what it is.

 

[BeyJHeart]

Do possums hurt chickens? One got in my run tonight then in the coop.

 

[aart]

Do possums hurt chickens? One got in my run tonight then in the coop.

Yes, indeed they can......secure your coop and run so they can't get in.
Trap and kill if you're so inclined....but do not trap and release.

 

[BeyJHeart]

Got that possum had secured place he mostly got in. Did some general securing as well

 

[DharmaJam]

I think I have a snake gaining access to the coop and stealing eggs. Yesterday I put dirt, rocks, and bricks under the coop and along some of the perimeter where it was obvious the snake had come through.

But I didn't do a good enough job because the snake found a few weak spots.

I will continue to fill in the gaps and make it secure but my question is about snake repellent and the chickens.

Is there any repellent that won't hurt the Chickens as well?