Sorry for your loss. I recently lost 3, half my flock to what turned out to be a Bobcat. I live in town have a fenced yard & have not had a predator loss in the 7 or so years I've had chickens. This is my second flock, just coming to point of lay. This flock for some reason would never roost in the coop from the age of 10 weeks, opting instead to roost in the unsecure but net covered run. I got tired of trying to herd them into the coop at night. When I removed the roosting bar they slept on the ground. I finally relented, returned the roosting bar & let them sleep where they may. Never had a predator problem before,after all!
The other morning I went out to find the gate pulled open, 1 dead at the entrance, 1 missing & the others milling around. I kinda figured a dog or coyote. Took a lot to pull that gate open, there was blood on it where it finally buckled. That day I set up a game camera, baby monitor, beefed up the gate & ordered some of those predator eye thingies. Just as we were headed to bed the chickens started raising a ruckus, by the time I got out there, 2 hens were missing the others were in the corner of the run. After a search, one hen was located laying quietly in the coop. The predator this time went over the fence & under the net. Checking the camera the next morning I found a couple of very poor pictures of the Bobcat. Who would have thought?
That evening at dusk the remaining hens were kinda just milling around, i went in the run I herded them in the coop. The past 2 nights they have gone in themselves but for some reason they are sleeping on the ground. The game camera has captured numerous photos of a domestic cat, no more Bobcat. Still waiting on the predator eyes!
Very sorry for your loss.
