Its not torn up with feathers missing like a dog wouldve shook it. On its lower back, centered on the spine, there are two holes side by side, likely from teeth imo. Maybe 3/4 inch between holes. The feathers are blood stained right around the hole. The breast is ripped open, but no blood. The last time this happened, several were killed. Out in the yard during daytime.

Hawks?

Hawk

Nothing you can do other than penning them up, federally protected. Getting a depredation permit is rare as hens teeth for backyard poultry.

What is allowed is hazing and habitat modification such as removing perches. Hazing is scare tactics that stop short of actual contact or harm. Hazing off of an active nest would be considered harm to the eggs or chicks.

Put a game cam on it I’d say hawk also a classic attack tactic.

Found the kill spot. A large opening in my trees. Small circle of feathers, some were stuck up under grass that was laying on its side. Make sense for something hitting it from above smashing it into/under stuff. Upon further inspection, i found another little bit larger hole in the bird that would make sense to be the “thumb” of the hawk in relation to the side by side holes.

These are the neighbors chickens, not mine. My dog laid it in the spot in the yard where she leaves everything she finds dead. She was on a gps collar so i knew she didnt go to the neighbors place.
About 2-3 months ago, my dog had laid one in that spot only this one had very little damage at all. Neighbors found 6-7 dead in their yard. All had minimal damage. I never inspected any of the birds that time. Dog was in heat so i was watching the gps collar hard and knew she hadnt been over there-all i cared about.

Do hawks typically kill multiple just to kill?

Maybe, if teaching young to hunt.

First kill does sound like a hawk. When they nab a bird, normal process is to sink talons to try to kill or disable it, then flip them on their back, start plucking breast feathers and then ripping breast flesh off to eat it. Watched one do that to a starling once. Starling was fighting back, stabbing away with that beak, but doing no damage. Was still alive when hawk started to eat.

Hawks will get on a source like chickens, but only kill them one at a time. In case of spring chicks, may wipe out a flock by taking them back to the next, one at a time. Watched a hawk do that to a robin nest once. Cleaned them all out, one at a time.

The multiple kill and leave them lay is usually going to be neighbors dogs or sometimes a mink or weasel. Niece lost 3 out of 4 of her birds to a pair of dogs about a month ago. Rottweiler and yellow lab. Were a mile from home. Invisible fence collars stopped working and they went for a stroll. If mink or weasel, will show bites to back of neck at base of skull and maybe claw marks under the wings. Both of those will kill them all and leave them lay. Daytime kills are normally dogs. Night time kills in the chicken house a weasel or mink.

Momma coon and 2 to 4 young of year will also wipe out a flock of chickens, but usually at night, and while they may pull one or two out to eat the breasts out, they leave a lot of dead ones in the chicken house.

Dog was out for 2 minutes and there was another old kill laying in her spot she puts dead stuff. Same spot on the back was hit, that area was tore too much to see puncture marks. The rest of the bird was untouched in good shape.

Literally anything will kill a chicken. Frankly, if they’re roaming free, it doesn’t matter what killed them. If you eliminate one predator, 100 more will takes its place.

Young coyote