Greetings jakeopatty,
You will usually see feathers when there is a struggle between the chicken and the predator. It is important to know what time of day these disappearances are happening.
Owls can take a chicken with very little struggle, and hardly leave any evidence. But, these attacks happen early, just before the sun comes up, or at dusk, when the sun has gone down. However, if you don't lock up your chickens in a covered run or in the coop, an owl will take any chicken that decides to venture out of the coop to sleep in the shrubs or trees. Remember owls can lift up to 3 times their body weight, and some species are huge! I have an owl that perches just outside my bedroom window. It eats it's prey while sitting on tree branch.
Now, eagles are excellent hunters, too. But they hunt from dawn to just before sunset. Besides small prey, they will take chickens, cats, and even tiny dogs! I had a cat survive an attack twice! She had wounds on her neck and shoulder area, perfect holes. The vet said they could have been holes from the talons. I think the only thing that saved her, is, she was the meanest cat I ever had. The eagles in my area, perch on a telephone pole, at the edge of my property. I have watched them as they eat their prey. They remove the feathers and fur with their beak, they'll eat the head and all. Sometimes they'll regurgitate parts they don't like, and vomit them out!
Birds of prey do prefer to eat in the safety of the trees. But, some do eat on the ground.
Other than aerial predators, most canine and feline predators will leave some feathers. Your best solution would be to mount a camera, and try to identify the culprit. If it is a bird of prey, they cannot be killed or trapped, as they are protected by law. Try to improve security for your chickens.
If coyotes are snatching your chickens, check around the property. Coyotes like to bury their prey, or what's left of them. Then, you will have to decide...trap, kill, or relocate. Here, in Southern California, coyotes cannot be killed. So, a complaint has to be made to the State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Then, you never hear from them...
I had my property fenced, and partly electrified to add more security for my chickens. A good livestock guard dog is another option for protecting chickens. Great Pyrenees or Anatolians are known for guarding livestock well, in large open areas.
These are my thoughts on your predator problem, sorry I can't tell how to get rid of them. You'll have to get creative or medieval. LOL!
God Bless
You will usually see feathers when there is a struggle between the chicken and the predator. It is important to know what time of day these disappearances are happening.
Owls can take a chicken with very little struggle, and hardly leave any evidence. But, these attacks happen early, just before the sun comes up, or at dusk, when the sun has gone down. However, if you don't lock up your chickens in a covered run or in the coop, an owl will take any chicken that decides to venture out of the coop to sleep in the shrubs or trees. Remember owls can lift up to 3 times their body weight, and some species are huge! I have an owl that perches just outside my bedroom window. It eats it's prey while sitting on tree branch.
Now, eagles are excellent hunters, too. But they hunt from dawn to just before sunset. Besides small prey, they will take chickens, cats, and even tiny dogs! I had a cat survive an attack twice! She had wounds on her neck and shoulder area, perfect holes. The vet said they could have been holes from the talons. I think the only thing that saved her, is, she was the meanest cat I ever had. The eagles in my area, perch on a telephone pole, at the edge of my property. I have watched them as they eat their prey. They remove the feathers and fur with their beak, they'll eat the head and all. Sometimes they'll regurgitate parts they don't like, and vomit them out!
Birds of prey do prefer to eat in the safety of the trees. But, some do eat on the ground.
Other than aerial predators, most canine and feline predators will leave some feathers. Your best solution would be to mount a camera, and try to identify the culprit. If it is a bird of prey, they cannot be killed or trapped, as they are protected by law. Try to improve security for your chickens.
If coyotes are snatching your chickens, check around the property. Coyotes like to bury their prey, or what's left of them. Then, you will have to decide...trap, kill, or relocate. Here, in Southern California, coyotes cannot be killed. So, a complaint has to be made to the State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Then, you never hear from them...
I had my property fenced, and partly electrified to add more security for my chickens. A good livestock guard dog is another option for protecting chickens. Great Pyrenees or Anatolians are known for guarding livestock well, in large open areas.
These are my thoughts on your predator problem, sorry I can't tell how to get rid of them. You'll have to get creative or medieval. LOL!
God Bless
