So I have heard different things about how you can guess what killed the chicken by what’s left behind/ damage done.
If it only ate the head it was probably a-
If only ate the breast-
Chicken gone, no feathers left around-
One time I saw feathers pulled through the fence, like something was grabbing at the chickens from the outside-

So what do you say, how can you tell what ate the chickens?

Cameras

My money's on racoon

Every time I had a chicken with just the head eaten it was a possum.

Game camera time.

Lost two free ranging hens a couple weeks back during middle of day. Two piles of feathers not far apart chickens gone. What was it?

Aside from catching them in the act, each varmint has a signature move. Enough so there have been charts developed based on pattern of kills. Single kill.....multiple kills........how they were found......damaged........eaten or left intact......and time of day. Not 100%, but accurate enough to know where to go looking.

Past that, coons and domestic dogs account for over half of all chickens killed, so that is a good place to start.

I used to have problems with coons and fox. Got rid of them problem solved.

Then came those feathered felons. Protected by federal law. Sealed up the coop. problem solved.

Then came the bear. Tore everything apart like it was cardboard. If I were to solve that, I'm sure I'd be getting squatch, apes, terminator robots or something.

That was either fox or coyotes, I about guarantee it!

Owl

Middle of the day. Hawk

A fox would.more than likely leave a trail of feathets. At least our rednecks do.