Attack During the Day

[hcurrie7]

I had something take one of my Silkies Friday. It was right at dusk, barely dark and we were all home. I never found her but I found a few feathers. We moved the coops/pens away from the tree line and built another fence around them. Only once has one flew over the fence. It was a bantam. The bigger ones do not fly anymore.

Now today at 11:00 am in broad daylight something got my Rhode Island Red Hen, Miss Fussy. One of the bantams were out of the pen. I went to let her back in and noticed Miss Fussy was missing. I started looking around and noticed her feathers. Then right inside of the woods their is a huge pile of feathers. Like everyone of her feathers. I do not see any blood. Also I found feathers starting at her pen and leading out the new fence. I hate to sound paranoid but it looks like a human did this. How else would her feathers be inside and lead out the exit. She is the biggest bird we have so if someone was to choose to eat one. She is the only full grown bird I have besides the rooster.

Am I wrong? Is their an animal that attacks during the day. The fence is right up next to the house. How did we not hear anything? I have never had any problem with any neighbors but I just got chickens. So I cannot figure out what is attacking them or how to keep them safe if it attacks day and night. What should I do?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Sorry about your chickens. It could be a hawk. Raccoons can be tempted out during the day if a meal is available, and they are very good climbers. We had a raccoon problem and after the first attack, I saw one trying to get in during the day. We finally built a chicken run with a welded wire top.

 

[smedly9921]

I would guess hawk but you say the bird was fully grown that would be hard for a hawk. Coyote's will come out during the day for sure or a fox. I would think more towards those two culprits. Raccoons only come out during the day if they are sick. They should be fast asleep at 1100. You had better work on a stronger fence.

 

[Majd]

Probably not a human.... as you found piles of feathers in the woods it's a predator that went to a hidden place to continue its meal.... a person won't pluck the chicken feathers on the way home... it may be a racoon as said or a fox or coyote.... you should make sure to obseve from a well hidden place (behind a Window perhaps) to catch the theif in the act....

 

[aart]

Fox Dog Coyote will all strike during the day...being home is no safeguard.

 

[TinyBirds]

We have had in daytime: bobcat, foxes, raccoons, hawks. It's really hard to keep chickens when they are everyone's favorite meal. :-( Sorry for your loss :-(

 

[lilliesanchicks]

Dogs will do it any time of the day.

 

[thomasboyle]

Sorry for you loss. As others have said, foxes, bobcat, raccoons, coyotes will all sneak a meal during the day when the opportunity presents itself. I lost one of my guineas yesterday while I was mowing the lawn 75 feet away. Nothing left but three piles of feathers and a feather trail going across the yard, behind the barn and into the woods. The trail cam mounted on my coop missed this attack, but it has captured a bobcat on film 3 times last month, all during the day - 10am, 4pm, 7pm, and I ran into him personally at 10pm. But I haven't seen trace of him for 3 weeks, so it could have been a fox. Seems they are abundant this year, and chickens and wild turkeys are getting hit hard around here. Its upsetting when you can't protect the birds from all of the predators!

 

[Majd]

Yeah... you're right thomasboyle.... a week ago my uncle lost 12 chicks.... they are 2 1/2 months old. ... badgers took all of them in one attack..... most of them were pullets.... I sometimes catch these 4 badgers hanging aroung the house....

 

[RedJungleFowl]

Maybe a mink ..