Chickens Vanished

[getaclue]

"The coop is always locked except for a small opening for the chickens to go into at night/when laying eggs." Seriously? Chickens ROOST at night, not lay eggs. The door is to be unlocked to let them in at night to roost, then locked. The next morning, the door is to be unlocked to let them out, etc. The small opening is for nocturnal predators to get into the coop.

 

[TinyBirds]

Most likely raccoon. The rest will be gone soon too if so. Make sure to lock up the little door they go in at night too. But raccoons will come in daytime too now that they know food is there, so you may need an enclosed run with top covered too and 1/2 inch hardware cloth around sides and 1 inch squares over top. Zip tie every 3 inches or so at seams. Raccoons can make their body like jello to squeeze through small openings.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Right now I'm thinking it could be a neighbor entering my yard and stealing chickens. If this happens, it is considered as trespassing and I'll call the cops.

The value of your hens will mean that the neighbor only committed a misdemeanor. In which case you will likely find that you don't have a case unless the police witnessed the act.

 

[aart]

They disappeared around last Friday or Saturday. The coop is always locked except for a small opening for the chickens to go into at night/when laying eggs.

I meant what time of day or night......but it sounds like that doesn't really matter if you don't even know what day.
It doesn't seem that you lock up the chicken door at night?
Confusing when situation is not described in detail...can't help without.

 

[TinyBirds]

I doubt it was a neighbor, but we did once think someone stole our 40+ lb turkey. It was a pet and would have just let anyone jump the short fence we had at the time, and pick her up. We now have an 8 ft boundary fence so many less predators and things since we did that.

 

[ChickieLinds]

It sounds like they were not in a coop at night? Even in suburban areas, there are raccoons and other wild animals that wouldn't be put off by a fence. I even had a favorite hen killed in the coop by something that reached in, grabbed her, and ate everything that could be pulled through the bars. I guess it was a coon. Anyway, unless they are kept in a super snake-proof and coon-proof coop, chickens are never safe.

I had the same thing happen this summer something reached in the coop and pulled my little silkie out all that was left were feathers. It is so heartbreaking