I have searched and searched the archives on chicken predators and see nothing about chickens killed during the day, not at night. The other day I walked out and found one of my free-ranging chickens (I have only five) in the coop with her head hanging out of the fence and her neck eaten. Nothing had touched her head or any of her body. The door of the coop was open and maybe she had been in there laying or something. Another hen had a big bare spot where the mystery animal had grabbed at her breast feathers. What could this be? I have three barn cats who are well-fed and have been stuck in there all snowy winter with them and four ducks, etc. and have never bothered them before. Should I suspect one of them? Thanks! p.s. we have a family of coons about fifty feet from the barn (living in a tree), but I thought they only hunted at night.

-- carla s. miller (carlasmiller@hotmail.com), February 13, 2002

Answers

Great Horned Owl. At this time of year they have young in the nest, and they only take the head and neck. Actually tear the neck off the breast. Good luck. They always land on something first to take stock of the situation. If SOMEONE put a wooden post in front of the chicken house, with a conibear leg trap on the top, they could have an owl. Note: It is illegal to kill owls in the United States. You didn't hear this post from me;)

-- Judy in IN (whileaway3@cs.com), February 14, 2002.

my vote is for a weasel, I will never forget the sight of a full grown chicken running maddly around trying to get the weasel off her neck...I couldn't catch it and eventually it got both of my birds..I only had 2 at that time.

-- Bee White (bee@hereintown.net), February 14, 2002.

weasel for sure,, neck is torn, and it drinks the blood,, it must have been hungray for it to coem out during the day

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 14, 2002.

Thanks, everyone. I will purchase a trap today that is big enough for an owl and a weasel. Another chicken was killed last night. I am getting very mad!

-- carla s. miller (carlasmiller@hotmail.com), February 14, 2002.

I've actually watch owls walk up to the pen and hop in...perhaps his last hop?

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), February 14, 2002.

It is very likely the coons. Coons have a habit of eating the crop of birds and leaving the rest behind. While I admit a daytime attack is unusual it could be possible.

-- aw (adwats2@uky.edu), February 14, 2002.

Hi Carla, I agree that it is probably a weasel. However they are so smart they can be stupid. They have a very keen since of smell so that makes traping them a little tuff as it is allmost impossible to cover the human scent from them. Here is how I traped 100's of them when I was a kid. Use any good rat trap and set it at the bottom of a fence post then hang a fresh peice of meat [I used sparrows,] about 20 inches above the trap, it will come to the fresh kill and will smell you and your trap first it will jump from one side to the other trying to get the bait, eventualy it will become frustrated and stupid and jump wright into you trap. Good Luck, Gerry

-- Gerry (hardrock@mail.brainerd.net), February 14, 2002.

Not sure about weasels...depends on where in the U.S. you are. Sivvet cats or skunks also might go for a neck-only attack,but usually at night. I agree that daylight attacks are unusual,but a hungry critter is capable of durn-near anything!...Happy Trappin'!!

-- Denver Kessler (kandkprod@hotmail.com), February 14, 2002.

Coons! Availability + nature = disaster.

-- charlie (charliesap@pldi.net), February 14, 2002.

My vote is a mink...They will tear open a chicken by its neck and do nothing more than suck out all the blood. Sorry this is happening to you...I know it gets very FRUSTRATING! Sounds like it is time to make them a non free ranging breed of chickens to me.

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.