A Little Help

[MBagel]

I am in need of some opinions on what could have gotten my hen. I went out to the coop yesterday after work and there was feathers everywhere.... My silkie hen was missing. I dont see a sign of a struggle, no blood no nothing. she was in the fenced run and I cant see where they could have pulled her through the fence 2x4 welded wire fencing. no other chickens have come up missing. Im just curious if it was a hawk would it pull feathers out on the spot like that or just cart her away? I dont want this to happen to any of my others. She was my favorite hen to.

 

[LR Gamefarm]

this sounds to me like a cougar or a cat of some sort maybe a coyote ive had this happen to me if it is a cougar you might want to get a gun ready i had a cougar killing my chickens at night i think it killed about 10 of my best hens then it got used to eating them it actually lay in my yard waiting for night to kill another one but luckly i was already ready for it i shot it right in the eye with a 22. rifle and after that i never seen it again

 

[leadwolf1]

A hawk would sit right there and eat your hen. They don't carry them away. Not the bigger chickens, they can't lift them. You would have seen remains if it were a hawk. They don't eat bones. Whatever it was, grabbed her and ran. How tall is your fence? Sounds like something jumped in/out with her.

 

[abbaschickens]

I had a similar situation with a raccoon. Also, in Central Texas with this heat and drought we have seen coons during the day. The coon will grab through your 2x4 fence and catch a hen then rip it apart and pull it through the fence. Yes, it is shocking how little blood, etc that remains. I put chicken wire outside my welded wire fence so nasty critters can't get their claws into my coop.

 

[MBagel]

L and L i dont think it was a big cat, dont have to many sightings where we live now, and the only house cat that I have seen was to small to take off with a hen..

Leadwolf I think something got in there to the fence is 4 ft high....

Abbas I think it might be a coon. I wasnt thinking that at first because we had done a little raccon removal at the beginning of the summer and I havent seen any sign of them since.. I have two dogs I figured a coon would get them barking but Im sure it walked right past them while they were sleeping...

I dont think its my dogs because they have both been raised with them. they a 4 month old puppies. So im setting a live trap tonight to see what I get... I hate varmints...