chicken disappeared without a trace

[meowmmy65]

Is this the work of a hawk? My beautiful salmon faverolle is simply gone. The other 5 girls - larger breeds - are safe. No sign of a struggle, no sounds, nothing. Just gone.

 

[bgelber]

could also be a dog. I had a couple to disappear, couldn't figure out what was going on. I knew there was a couple of hawks in the area. Til one day I walked out to find my daughters dog with a few feathers and chicken feet. She was eating feathers and all, I still want to kill that dog.

 

[meowmmy65]

FOUND!!!!!

I went out to look this morning - now that there is daylight and I can see - I kept hoping I would find her in the coop. You know - maybe she was in there the whole time and I just didn't see her. Nope. Only 5. Then I heard her yelling at me. But it was coming from up high. Yup, there she was, up in the tree behind our deck. I think she got up there and couldn't get down, so she just slept there all night. Of course, it rained all night so the poor baby is absolutely soaking wet. It took two of us to get her down. I had to pull the branches to get her a little closer, and my 6 foot tall husband stretched up and got her. And he chastised her in his best Ricky Ricardo impression: "Lucy! You got some 'splaining to do!"

Thanks everyone for all the good thoughts! Let's hope that is the last of chickens roosting in trees around here.

 

[Tash76]

Might of started laying eggs and gone broody and is hiding somewhere.

She came home, she was waiting outside the coop this morning I’m so happy

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Hawks will usually start plucking and eating at the site of the kill, so if there were no feathers it's more likely a canine

 

[Jedstar]

Might of started laying eggs and gone broody and is hiding somewhere.

 

[bryan99705]

Hawks will usually start plucking and eating at the site of the kill, so if there were no feathers it's more likely a canine

Agreed unless a dog threatened the hawk then it would take its kill to a safer place to eat

 

[tomatillo]

So sorry.

Could have been a hawk.

 

[meowmmy65]

I've read about chickens disappearing and then showing up again, not feeling very hopeful, though. She is just 18 weeks, not laying eggs yet, so this isn't a case of a girl gone broody.

 

[meowmmy65]

We have three dogs. They were in the house with us, but if another dog had been anywhere near our yard, they would have sounded the alarm. Besides, I don't think a dog would have taken one hen - without a trace - and left the others alone. Dogs aren't that "dainty" if you know what I mean.

Going to keep holding out hope that she is hiding and will show up tomorrow. I know, it's foolish of me.