dead chicken

Sorry for your loss. Chickens are vulnerable to many types of predators. Their instinct to sit very still when it is dark makes them especially vulnerable when the sun goes down. They don't often flee danger at night so they are the chicken version of a sitting duck.

I have forgotten to lock my coop up at night. Many of us have. I'm lucky in that I have herding dogs that keep watch over the coop and also stand guard during the day when they free range. Losing one to a predator like this usually makes us certain NOT to forget to lock up at night.

While I never recommend leaving chickens out at night, I do advocate free ranging in the day. I believe they are happier when allowed to just be chickens. I'm very fortunate that my dogs take such good care of mine.

People without built in babysitters have to be a bit more careful and "free ranging all night" is probably not the safest way to go. It's a hard loss. All we can do is learn from it and do what we can to make them as safe as possible.

I've lost hens to neighborhood dogs who chewed through coop wire before I was set up for my own dogs to have access to my whole property. I have good roosters though and cats have never been a problem.

 

Kill the cat and get an automatic door opener so you won't forget. ...