Any ideas what can make 9 chickens disappear in 4 1/2 hours?

[Bear Foot Farm]

anyone have any idea how far a chicken might travel?

Mine never go more than about 200 yds from the coop, and most of the time it's under 100 yds​

 

[TNRIRRoo]

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9 birds? This would be my guess.

 

[Chickens-246]

Mine normally will roam 200-300 feet from the coop. But in an attack situation, I don't know for sure, but I've always have found them within this distance. Chickens are excellent hiders, I have very little hiding spots and mine are difficult to find after an attack. Injured chickens I've always had to find, I'm not sure if they would return on their own. But personally I never give up till I find something, I've had at least a dozen attacks.

 

[rcentner]

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I figured I would find someone this morning, 3 hours of calling and searching. I live in the woods which makes this difficult. Would they still be hiding 2 days later? I don't know where else to look. I guess all I can do is case the yard again. How long have you looked for?

 

[Chickens-246]

I live in the desert and I have a hard time finding them. Calling does nothing for my crew after an attack and I normally can get them to come from a couple of hundred feet away. Injured chickens I have to pull out of their hiding spots.

I found foxes leave no traces and travel in small packs. They go for the head and drag them farther than I normally search.

I would give it one last look within 300 feet, check under EVERYTHING. You may consider looking up in the trees as well. A couple of my girls can get on the roof.

 

[chicmom]

I know this seems silly, but did you call them? I had five missing (and I've only got seven), the other day, and I just called them and called them and they all came running!

I was so glad to see them!

I sure wish you luck in finding more of them.

Sharon

 

[rcentner]

I bet it was the fox, I have seen one around the last few months here and there. He must have got them 1 by 1, I haven't found the den, or any ground that looks turned where it might have buried some chickens. I would strangle it with my bear hands if I saw it, that %^&$^&!@##$! I saw online that foxes will hunt up to 4 hours after sunrise (like between 8-12, when I was at work). that's disapointing. I doubt I get any more chickens back if that's the case. didn't know that foxes can kill lambs and calf as well.

 

[theFox]

It took two of us 6 hours to locate our birds after a dog scattered them.

We wouldn't have found three of them for at least another several hours if our neighbor hadn't seen them go into the garage attached to his barn.

They were all within 200 feet of their coop.

They are extremely good at hiding, they will actually keep a tree trunk between you and them if you go looking for them. If there are any low branches of evergreen trees they'll even get on those and roost. The fact you have had rain since they got scattered will only make the birds more determined to hunker down any place they can to stay dry.

I hope some more show up shortly, if the birds you have in the coop make a bit of noise that the others can hear they are apt to come looking for their buddies when the rain lets up.

 

[saddina]

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9 birds? This would be my guess.

Same thought here.

 

[Chickens-246]

Come to think of it, about four years ago I had a daytime morning fox attack. I witnessed the beginning of it, so I was able to get out there real fast. This was before I started to keep a shotgun next to my door. I've shot two foxes since then.

You may be right, a injured chicken probably would not last two days hiding. On the other hand, it would suck to find a dead injured chicken weeks from now. Non-injured chickens should have returned by now.