Raising backyard chickens comes with its fair share of challenges, including protecting them from predators. Nothing is more distressing than finding a beloved hen with its head missing. So what predator is responsible for this gruesome act? By examining clues and understanding predator behavior, chicken owners can get to the bottom of the mystery
Examining the Evidence
When discovering a decapitated chicken, the first step is thoroughly examining the body and scene. Some key evidence to note includes:
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Missing body parts – Is the head fully removed or partially eaten? Are other areas like the crop or breast missing?
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Time of day – Chickens killed at night point to nocturnal predators like raccoons Daytime attacks could indicate hawks, weasels, or roaming dogs
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Feathers – Ruffled feathers scattered around suggests a violent struggle. Missing feathers may mean the predator carried the chicken away.
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Blood – Large pools of blood indicate the chicken was killed there. A lack of blood means it was carried from the coop and eaten elsewhere.
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Tracks or fur – Footprints, drag marks, and tufts of fur can confirm mammal predators like foxes, coyotes, or bobcats.
Paying close attention to these clues helps narrow down the list of possible predators.
Top Decapitator Suspects
While many predators will opportunistically feed on chickens, a few habitual “head hunters” are the prime suspects in mysterious decapitations:
Raccoons
With their dexterous paws, raccoons have a special knack for removing chicken heads and crops through small openings. They tend to target the nutrient-rich head and neck area while leaving most of the carcass behind. Raccoon attacks mainly happen at night.
Opossums
Like raccoons, opossums go after the head and neck but usually leave messy tears rather than a clean cut. They also target eggs and baby chicks. Their nighttime chicken raids leave remains scattered around the coop.
Mink
Mink are agile weasel-like creatures that can inflict serious damage on chickens. They often bite off the head and carry chickens away to eat elsewhere. Mink leave similar wounds to weasels but tend to take the whole carcass once the head is removed.
Hawks
Large hawks and owls have the powerful talons needed to rip or twist a chicken’s head off. They aim for vital organs and tend to pluck the neck and breast clean. Feathers and chicken remains below a tree or perch may point to raptors.
Foxes
Foxes attack chickens by biting the neck and shaking violently to break it. They may eat the head and crop or carry the carcass away. Like coyotes, they often attack multiple chickens in one night.
Preventing Decapitations
Once the predator is identified, steps can be taken to fortify the coop and deter future break-ins. Here are some tips:
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Install electric fencing around the run to deter mammal predators. Use hot wire over the top to prevent climbing.
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Cover the run and coop with 1/2” hardware cloth to prevent access by digging predators. Bury the cloth 6-12” underground.
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Use motion-sensor lights and sounds to scare nocturnal prowlers.
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Lock chickens in a secure coop at night. Close off pop doors and vents.
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Remove brush and debris around the coop that can offer hiding spots.
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Use traps or other removal methods for persistent predators.
With some detective work and preventative measures, chicken owners can crack the case and rest easy knowing their flock is safe. Acting quickly when an attack occurs can help identify patterns and prevent repeat offenses. Keeping a vigilant eye out for signs of trouble is key to deterring chicken-loving predators.
Missing Legs and Wings
A chicken whose mortal injury was the loss of a limb, such as a leg or a wing, was the victim of a raccoon. In this case, the raccoon reached through the fencing and caught hold of your bird’s limb instead of its head.
Wounds Near the Vent; Entrails Pulled Out
If your chicken is alive, with bite marks and lacerations around her vent, or if your bird is deceased, with intestines pulled out through her vent, the predator in question belongs to the weasel family. Weasels, minks, ferrets, badgers and martens wrap themselves around their prey’s body and attack the vent area. Members of the weasel family will also bite a bird at the base of the skull to kill it before feeding. (Here’s a video of how to identify predators with a simple scent station.)
This gruesome carnage signifies a common poultry predator, the raccoon. This type of predation pattern often occurs when a raccoon has gotten into a coop at night. It will typically feed on one or two chickens in this manner, then depart, leaving the remains behind.
If one of your birds seems to have simply disappeared, or if there is nothing but a scattering of feathers in the coop, run or yard, the probable culprit is a fox. Foxes tend to kill or severely injure their prey, then carry them back to their dens, often to feed their kits. Coyotes and bobcats are also known to carry off their prey, as are hawks, owls and other birds of prey.
If you are missing one or more chicks, you might have a rat or opossum problem. Both predators grab infant poultry off an unguarded nest and carry them away. Rat snakes also prey on chicks, eating them whole. Another carnivore that targets chicks is the domestic cat, which tends to carry chicks off to play with this lively new toy elsewhere.
What Animal Bites Chickens Heads?
FAQ
Which predator eats chicken heads?
If birds are dead and not eaten but are missing their heads, the predator may be a raccoon, a hawk, or an owl. Raccoons sometimes pull a bird’s head through the wires of an enclosure and then can eat only the head, leaving the majority of the body behind.
Do possums eat chicken heads off?
Opossums, no. Raccoons are the ones who bite the heads off of chickens.
Do raccoons only eat the heads of chickens?
Predatory incidents involving raccoons and chickens are not uncommon and can occur both during the day and at night. Raccoons are known to attack and kill chickens by biting their heads or necks, and they may also eat the chickens’ internal organs.
What will take the head of a chicken?
Anything from weasel to bobcat, owls even, will take the head. Foxes usually carry the chicken when they flee, even carrying two if they are not struggling anymore.