Unknown predator

[Onthenest]

Suggestions please, I have an Eglu Go Up, and this morning came down to find that although the run had not been breached, a chuck had been slaughtered.
My poor girl appeared to have been pulled up against the mesh repeatedly until her torso was totally featherless, and just her legs and feet were missing - presumably as this was all that could be pulled through the mesh.
Has anyone had anything similar, and any idea what may have done it?
Thank you.

[Mo]

How horrid.
Do you suppose it was something small enough to get through the mesh, only to find that it couldn't pull the hen out.
I can't see something on the outside getting near enough, unless hen was very stupid.

Stoat? Weasel? Mink?

I'm assuming you are in UK.
I don't think we've had this problem before.

[Grannyof4]

A wild ferret will kill poultry. Presumably the hens were not shut in the house over night. No matter how secure we think the fencing is, it really is not safe to not shut them in. Are you sure nothing has dug its way in?

[p.penn]

Mink are lethal too Sorry about your chook, that must have been horrible.

[Onthenest]

I'm certain that nothing got in to the run, and the main damage to her seems to have been caused by whatever it was effectively trying to get her through the mesh, despite the fact that the mesh is quite small. Whatever it was, was sufficiently strong that a small section of the mesh has been slightly bent outwards.
I have now cable tied a fine gauge mesh around the whole outside of the run, so not even a mouse could get its head through.
I'm in Worcestershire, and semi rural, with my garden backing on to fields. There is a small shallow stream about 600 yards away, and a pond about the same distance.
My concern is that the attack must have taken place in daylight, as she was already in the run, and not in the house, where she takes herself off to at night. I've been here for about 3 years and never had anything like this before.
We do have foxes in the field behind, but I don't think a fox would have been able to get its snout far enough through the mesh to grab her.

[kitla]

A rat will do this too, it happened to my parent's chickens. A small rat can get through a 1/2 inch hole, I believe. The preditor may have dragged her out of the house but couldnt get her through the fence. Definately best to shut the house up at night from now on.

[Mo]

a fine gauge mesh around the whole outside of the run, so not even a mouse could get its head through.

They say that if you can poke a pencil through a hole a mouse can get through. Don't know about rats & weasels, but they are quite small too.

[Bridgets Mum]

I've just had a look at your eglu run and the mesh looks really strong and fox proof, but also quite wide. I've been told that both a weasel and a stoat can get through one inch mesh and a mink or ferret don't need much more. I think it's surprising that we don't get more attacks from these creatures - foxes seem the biggest danger. It must have been a horrible experience for you and I think tiny mesh is a good idea. I actually bought some quarter inch mesh at one point, but it is a bit dense! Locking your birds up at night is the only sure way to protect them but not much fun when it gets light really early. Perhaps lock them up for a while at least in case your mystery predator tries a repeat visit?