[yankieGirl]

Headed into  the barn after work and there lays a dead 8 week old barred rock (one of 24 other 8 wk old chickens).  It looked like its head had a hole pecked out of it.

Would a banty rooster hop the fence and do such a thing?  Why?  What was the threat to it.  It has 12 adult hens to tend.

[Hermit]

A Bantam Rooster pecked the eyes form my Marran Cockerel, I found them fighting with the banty on its back pecking away! The Marran had to be dispatched straight away. So yes I can well believe it.

[bigchicken]

Chickens can be killers and very cruel to the sick and week.

[Roxy]

I have one large Light Sussex and a large Copper Black Maran, plus numerous bantam cockerels.  I have noticed that the bantams rule the roost so to speak, or at least the bantie cockerels.  They stand up to the large cockerels, who keep out of their way.

[tizaala]

RAT?

[Miss Piggy]

I agree with the possibility of a rat. It worth considering. Rats will peck at the heads of young or small birds. I had a trio of barbe d'ucles many years ago and lost two of them to rats. They ate their eyes out and killed them. Didn't know I had a rat problem until then! My hen house was clean as well as the surrounding area but the rats got in. Hope you do find the root of the problem and don't loose any more.