Missing Chick?

[antrimfarm]

I have a 2 month old chick missing. I have NO IDEA what happened!! She was locked up with her sisters in a ten foot tall fenced area, with chicken wire wrapped around the bottom. She is completely GONE. No peeping, no body, nothing.

What happened? Is it possible that she wandered off? Or is it more likely that she was eaten? I don't see any signs of struggle in my yard, no feathers or blood. Is there a predator that carries off their prey?

Is it even possible that she flew out? She was so small I didn't think she'd be able to make it over ten feet!! Any ideas? Or help? Is there ANYTHING that I can do? I've already lost two chicks (incident with the dog) but all the ladies were accounted for last night and the dog was not let out unattended. (even if she had been she can't get through that fence, and she doesn't EAT chickens, just takes them down)

I feel so bad. I was trying so hard not to lose anymore! Ideas? Poor Gretel.

 

[sourland]

My guess is that the most likely culprit is either a Cooper's or sharpshin hawk. You might want to try a cover over the pen. Good luck with resolving this.

 

[CorinneP]

Its So hard to say .. If a Coon can get a paw to her they will drag them right off no evidence left .. If she could get out anything could have taken her from opossums neighbor cats .. so many possibilities .. It doesn't take long for them to be able to flutter pretty high up .. It is very hard and very expensive to try to keep a really secure coop .. Chicken wire only keeps chickens from getting out lots of other things seem to still be able to get in.. Carpenters mesh helps on the bottoms but many things like weasels can dig under. Stronger things like fox can push through if you don't have a very sturdy gate .. I Do not have mine as secure as I would like as the supplies are costly and I would like an invisible all protective Force field around them so I can see them but they would be safe .

 

[antrimfarm]

I guess I should mention that we live in a suburb (kinda). It's an older neighborhood, but there are plenty of houses around and virtually no "woods". Is it still possible she got taken by a hawk? Is that more or less likely since we live in a neighborhood?

 

[sourland]

Hawks are actually attracted to urban backyards because of the large numbers of bird feeders and resultant bird populations. They rapidly becomne habituated to the presence of humans.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I have to agree with sourland on both counts. However, I would also look in every nook and cranny that a small chicken can get trapped and hidden inside. It's surprising how often it happens that a bird gets caught in a tight spot and not found for some time (it happened to one of my birds). I hope it turns up!

 

[antrimfarm]

Good to know, sourland. Gallo, I sure hope I can find her, but I have looked EVERYWHERE!