First topic message reminder :

One of the sad facts of life here is the death of an animal due to predators of some kind. Two days ago we found a dead chicken in the garden run and today I have just found another one. This one was still warm so if I had been out a little earlier or my Hero hadn't been out on a walk, we would have seen whatever it was. We only have two left. One appeared from behind the chicken house and the other was inside laying an egg or maybe hiding. In 8 years of keeping chickens this has never happened. Its also unusual for it to happen in daylight (3.30pm.) There is no sign of any animal tracks around although a lot of snow has disappeared. Both hens had injuries. The first badly mutilated but this one only has some of its feathers pulled out and lying around and its back chewed. Maybe I disturbed whatever it was.
The locals have been talking about hearing and seeing a wolftype animal around but our chickens have a wire fence around them and I can't see how a dog or wolf could get in. If it was a large bird it would have carried it off unless the chicken was too heavy. Interestingly our dog, who hears everything and barks until we come, didn't bark but stayed in her kennel.
Not only sad but frustrating not knowing what happened. Any ideas? I love my chickens and couldn't believe it when I went out to give them their afternoon treat of cabbage, bread and any leftovers.

It definatley sounds like a weasel/ bialka. They get into the smallest places. One of the dead giveaways like peole say is that they only take off the head or drink the blood and leave the carcass. I have had chickens killed this way and quite recently they have killed 12 baby bunnies. They were in tact apart from the back of the neck and just left around the pen for me to pick up. :-(

how sad for you this is nature at it's worst.