[MiriMaran]

I let the chickens out as usual yesterday morning.  After school pick up, in the afternoon, the children and I went to the field to feed the chickens and pigs.  I collected the eggs and found the Light Sussex in the shed under the perch (on a second level reached by a ladder) near her favourite nest box.

Not for the squimish this bit!  One side of her face was totally caved in so I could see through her lower jaw and out of her eye socket.  The skin on her neck was attached to her head and attached to her shoulders but totally detached from her neck.  She also had a hole in her back the size of my fist.  Very very upsetting!  I got my children down to the house so that they couldn't see her and then went back to count the flock.  I have 2 ex-batts missing.  I had hoped they were hiding and would turn up today, but sadly they haven't.

IMO the injuries would suggest a dog and there is a bridle path adjacent to the field, but over 100m away from the chicken shed.  A dog wouldn't have eaten the missing 2 without leaving a horrible mess in the field. So the next obvious culprit is a fox, but why did it not take the Light Sussex way?  There are rumours that there are now mink in the area, but I don't know what signs their tell tale signs are.  We have had some smashed eggs over the last few days, which is unusual.

So all you detectives out there, what do you think has done this?  The answer may become clear after tomorrow if its a vixen feeding cubs and needing to replenish her larder!  I am desperately hoping its a one off from an errant dog, but I fear we may have a brazen fox in our midsts who is happy to hunt in daylight!

Very sad!

[sabrina]

Sound like a fox but I would not rule out mink, they take young pheasants or so I have been told. Keep watch as a fox will be back 

[Paid]

Sounds like it could be a mink/weasel/stoat/ferret  if the meat on the back of the necks been eaten away, and mainly head and neck damage.

[doganjo]

I agree, sounds like mink  - a fox, like a dog, would leave a mess.

[G0MZS]

Mink are on the decline in the country and a dramatic fall in the west country due to the rise of otter who are in direct competition with mink. Mink are also solitary animals so would be unusual for one to target three taking two away. Mink, ferrets and stoat's etc tend to eat the head of their prey first.

This time of year fox are taking hens away and during the day too.... Young brave foxes and vixens with young to feed drives them into the hen house. I would bet a fox.

[G0MZS]

I agree, sounds like mink  - a fox, like a dog, would leave a mess.

Not always the case at this time of the year...

[doganjo]

Either way, it's a horrid thing to have happened.  I'm glad you managed to steer the kids away from the sight of it, but you must have had to explain to them some of what happened. So very sad.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

to me it sould like a ferret, possible a gone wild one looking for food after the dry spell?

[shetlandpaul]

could easily have been a wild ferret but its a shame. up here it would have been one.

[dixie]

We had a similar thing with 2 turkeys shut up over night, they were both attacked by we think a rat, as nothing else is ever seen around here and I reckon its the only thing apart from a mouse that could.ve got in there? luckily ours survived, but that that must be horrible for you, especially with your red mite battle too! we put rat traps under buckets when we've known one to be around the hens, caught one once! but not been a problem since.

[MiriMaran]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.  So far there are no more losses, but I'm not holding my breath.