[Marches Farmer]

Predator mammals - cats, stoats, mink, weasels, fox, badger - tend to eat bones and all.  Raptors - buzzards, red kite and so on - often pluck the feathers and pick the bones clean.  Rats also pick bones clean.  Look for the muck - fox's are like dog muck, except pointed at one end, smaller predators are like smaller versions of dog muck, rats are dark brown cylinders about 2cm long. 

[Ideation]

Sounds like a bloody bird of prey!

[Steph Hen]

Sounds like a bloody bird of prey!

I agree, but seems odd something like a sparrow hawk would go for the ones in the pen, with the ropes strung across the top rather than the free range ones, and even more unlikely such a bird would target a broody.

You said you found the eggs bumblebear, rats I'd have thought would have  eaten the eggs too..?
I guess there's a possibility that several predators have been at them?

[Bumblebear]

The odd thing is that until we put strings up they were just disappearing without a trace.  I suspect the predator is coming at dawn because the chickens are in a henhouse (not locked) and the carcass was found in the run.  I can't see anything dragging it out of the run having gone to the effort to kill it.  I never thought of 2 predators - going from zero predators to two would just be too unlucky!

We will have to borrow a camera and put a chicken lure in there. 

[Bumblebear]

Fairly intact as you can see....just the breast meat missing.

[Clansman]

Cat? I've seen them just eat breast meat,  any big feral ones about?

just smaller birds you reckon?

[sokel]

We have had a problem with mink twice.  First time we lost most of our birds in a 6 week period. Second time we lost  3 hens and a duck in 4 days
They either vanished or the ones we did find always had been eaten into through the Brest and the meat eaten on a few occasions the intestines where also pulled out.

Our friend also had a problem but as where we live next to the river our friend is nearly a mile away from the river

[Bumblebear]

Cat? I've seen them just eat breast meat,  any big feral ones about?

just smaller birds you reckon?

This was a bantie hen   No feral cats here and how would the others disappear 

[Bumblebear]

We have had a problem with mink twice.  First time we lost most of our birds in a 6 week period. Second time we lost  3 hens and a duck in 4 days
They either vanished or the ones we did find always had been eaten into through the Brest and the meat eaten on a few occasions the intestines where also pulled out.

Our friend also had a problem but as where we live next to the river our friend is nearly a mile away from the river

We are a mile or so away from a river, maybe a bit further.  Would mink pull them out and over a run?  I'm hoping it's not a bird of prey - I would far rather it be an easy to eliminate pest.  We will stake out to catch the bugger dawn tomorrow.  Well hubby will.  I'll keep the bed warm

[chrismahon]

My guess would be mink. But you have Coypu in East Anglia and I don't know what they are capable of?

[bigchicken]

A bird of prey would be my guess buzzard being my first thought. I have lost bantams to them in the past and they are big enough to fly away with a bantam.

[devonlady]

Do you have a bird of prey expert in your area. I dare say they would be able to say exactly what type of bird (if any) is taking your banties. The local police usually have details of anyone who may be able to help.
I had a Black Rock killed by an escaped Goshawk, she looked very much like your bantie's carcasse.

[sabrina]

Does sound like a bird. We have had a buzzard take birds. I have also found bits of pheasants now and again in the paddocks that I have put down to them.

[wayfarer]

If it is just taking off the breast I would guess at a female sparrowhawk as this is what they do with pigeons.  A male would be too small to tackle even a bantam I would think.

[Bumblebear]

This is the run which is in the goat paddock, with 2 free roaming goats.  Some chooks have completely vanished from it and after the string along the top the carcass was found in one corner of the run with all other chooks perfectly safe.