Chicken vanished, hawk?

[Lauren Adams]

Yay I am so happy!

@oldhenlikesdogs @Lauren Adams @oregonkat

You won't believe this, my dad woke me up eeaarrllyy this morning and had me come outside ASAP. My hen was roosting on a plywood piece leaned up against the chicken house!! She's been gone since Sunday! We had a huge snowstorm and below freezing temps every night since then. She's a fighter! We combed every inch of this place, I really don't understand where she could've been, but I'm happy she wasn't killed.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Long time no post - another problem.

Yesterday I let my chickens out at 6:30am. I don't EVER do that, because coyote packs around here do their rounds between 12am and 9am. To be safe I let my chickens out at 11am or 12pm.
Well, yesterday I was going to be gone all day and it's been so hot I didn't like leaving them in their tin coop all day. So I caved and let them out at 6:30am and immediately left.
I receive a call sometime mid afternoon (1 or 2 pm) and was told a coyote was spotted fleeing my place going North. I get home and everyone seems calm and safe. I try coaxing everyone into an early lockup but nobody wants to.

In Nebraska, sunset is not until 9:15pm usually. So I get everyone locked up, but I can't find my favorite Ameraucana hen. Heartbroken, I search the place with my German Shepherd. Nothing at all, he seemed completely calm and not suspicious of any scent. We also found NO evidence of struggles or anything. Not a single feather.
I get up early today and still can't find her. I go to let my chickens out at 11:22am and as I start outside a coyote (or small light brown dog, it ran too fast to make a 100% decision) burst through my trees and toward the yard, I don't even have time to react before my Aussie mauled it and chased it to the next county.

If this is a coyote, is it sick?
My father found it weird to be running onto heavily occupied property in daylight two days in a row. He's too busy with farmwork to hunt it down.

We are in Nebraska, waaaay out in the country, so all predators are a common risk. But my last loss from coyote was 6 years ago when my young chickens got trapped on the wrong side of the fence all night. But it had happened at NIGHT, not afternoons.

What should I do with my chickens? I don't have a free run, it's occupied with Polish and Silkies.
What's the bigger risk? Heat related death or coyote attack? I want what's best for the birds.
Any coyote killing tips? I want this motherclucker dead.

Okay to summarize my questions since I asked several:
Does this sound like a single coyote or a dog?
Does it sound sick?
Are my chickens safer in a hot coop or free ranging?
Best/easiest way to kill it?

I own 2 outside-only Aussies, 2 cats, goats, horses, chickens, and ducks. So whatever you reccomend has to be safe to use around them.

This Ameracauna was 2 years old and not stupid, she never strayed far from the house. Whatever got her came IN to the yard in broad daylight. And again, absolutely 0 evidence she even existed.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My experiences with coyote is they are bold, and very smart. They will keep coming back until they are stopped, or the food runs out. This time of year last year's pups are thinking about going solo so some are out looking for an easy meal. It took us months to finally get a shot at the last one that was taking bride here a few years back. They are hard to catch. If your dog did damage it may not return, otherwise expect it back. We have had coyote strolling through our yard on occasion in broad daylight.

 

[The Phantom]

So sorry!

 

[HuskerHens18]

My experiences with coyote is they are bold, and very smart. They will keep coming back until they are stopped, or the food runs out. This time of year last year's pups are thinking about going solo so some are out looking for an easy meal. It took us months to finally get a shot at the last one that was taking bride here a few years back. They are hard to catch. If your dog did damage it may not return, otherwise expect it back. We have had coyote strolling through our yard on occasion in broad daylight.

Coyote confirmed, my chickens were practically dying in that chicken coop, so I let them out, refilled with ice water, gave them treats coax them in, and in that time a coyote snatched one of my pullets. All that's left is a small feather trail. About the time I realized it I heard howls, so I'm assuming it's a family group confirming a kill. Made up my mind, chickens stay in the coop at ALL times. My mistake this poor pullet died an awful death.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Coyote confirmed, my chickens were practically dying in that chicken coop, so I let them out, refilled with ice water, gave them treats coax them in, and in that time a coyote snatched one of my pullets. All that's left is a small feather trail. About the time I realized it I heard howls, so I'm assuming it's a family group confirming a kill. Made up my mind, chickens stay in the coop at ALL times. My mistake this poor pullet died an awful death.

Chickens suffer greatly in the heat too, so you may need to figure out some type of secure run.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Chickens suffer greatly in the heat too, so you may need to figure out some type of secure run.

I was building a pen so my German Shepherd could be outside unsupervised (he runs off) but I may finish it up this week and put chickens in there instead. Because my chickens burn through feed like wildfire when confined.

 

[The Phantom]

Coyote confirmed, my chickens were practically dying in that chicken coop, so I let them out, refilled with ice water, gave them treats coax them in, and in that time a coyote snatched one of my pullets. All that's left is a small feather trail. About the time I realized it I heard howls, so I'm assuming it's a family group confirming a kill. Made up my mind, chickens stay in the coop at ALL times. My mistake this poor pullet died an awful death.

 

[jaimedes]

We lost two of our girls between dusk and dawn in the past couple of months a few weeks apart. They would go into the barn on their own from their fenced in run at dusk and reemerge at dawn. I started lock down overnights and Set up trail cams, and turns out it was a large neighborhood feral cat who continued stalking my pens at night. Every night. I did find feathers though, presumably where the chickens tried to fight back, but never found any parts of their bodies. She had more time though to attack them and take them than your culprit since it could have been anytime between dusk and dawn.
I would lean toward coyote for yours.

 

[HuskerHens18]

We lost two of our girls between dusk and dawn in the past couple of months a few weeks apart. They would go into the barn on their own from their fenced in run at dusk and reemerge at dawn. I started lock down overnights and Set up trail cams, and turns out it was a large neighborhood feral cat who continued stalking my pens at night. Every night. I did find feathers though, presumably where the chickens tried to fight back, but never found any parts of their bodies. She had more time though to attack them and take them than your culprit since it could have been anytime between dusk and dawn.
I would lean toward coyote for yours.

Well there is a stray cat, it chewed up my cat's leg so bad I had to send him to the vet to remove an abscess that formed. I had intentions to shoot it, but it's a cat and I like cats, plus I don't know where it came from. I would hate to shoot somebody's beloved pet.
I saw both that cat and the coyote yesterday, I think I'll set up a trail cam. I've got coon issues too, but my dogs killed a litter of coon pups and the adults seemed to move on after that. Thankfully they stick to the usual racoon habits.