Disappeared: Entire Flock of Chickens

[cmom]

I would walk to the west and dont put it past a human to take your flock i would put out a game cam also in the future when I feed my flock no matter if its feed or treats i always call them i say chick chick chick over and over till im done feeding them that way they associate my voice saying chick over and over with food/treats and when ever I say it they come running

I do more or less the same thing. I have a special bucket and when the birds see the bucket they know it's treat time and come running for treats.

 

[Flockincrazy]

If you have a game camera put it up. Whether 2 legged or 4 legged predator, whoever may be back at some time. I never had anyone steal any birds but did have a 2 legged thief. I got the thief on camera in action steeling my egg money. It turned out to be someone we know.

I had a homeless man stealing eggs and caught him locked him in the coop till he settled down to tell him he didn't have to steal them all he had to do was ask he can have some at that point I was getting so many eggs I was donating them to the church pantry and the battered woman's shelter in my town I now see him every Sunday he comes in takes a shower i wash his clothes and feed him a good meal give him a dozen eggs and 2loaves of bread and he goes back to his tent it takes 2seconds to be human and have a heart

 

[JMB7718]

I had a homeless man stealing eggs and caught him locked him in the coop till he settled down to tell him he didn't have to steal them all he had to do was ask he can have some at that point I was getting so many eggs I was donating them to the church pantry and the battered woman's shelter in my town I now see him every Sunday he comes in takes a shower i wash his clothes and feed him a good meal give him a dozen eggs and 2loaves of bread and he goes back to his tent it takes 2seconds to be human and have a heart

Wow, you are an amazing person. This world needs more people like you.

 

[Flockincrazy]

Wow, you are an amazing person. This world needs more people like you.

Thanks i have to set a good example for my kids I refuse to raise ungrateful brats

 

[Sammy1122]

Could have been a pack of coyotes but I would think there would be feathers.If coyotes attacked it they coulda took a few birds but caused the rest run wild.However this sounds more like prosper then anything, but it’s owners fault and lack of responsibility.Poultry should never be kept out in the open ESCPECIALLY at night without supervision of some sort.

 

[Hillcrest79]

Hello everyone, I appreciate any help and to hear others opinions. Is it possible for a large group of chickens to disappear overnight without finding evidence of predators? We are heartbroken and frustrated. My dear friend and next door neighbor, overnight had his entire flock of 29 chickens and 2 Turkeys disappear. We found only few feathers on ground, which could have been there before. I have had chickens for many years, we have had problems with predators breaking into our house and getting one or two, usually raccoons. We are in Oklahoma, our known predators are bobcats, raccoons, possums, owls, skunks, large snakes. We have coyotes and an occasional mountain lion, it's in a rural area. I need help please so we can figure out what happened. He had no cameras and he does not lock them in at night. Which I think he should always do. They normally roost in several different locations, some on the back porch, far away from the hen house and they are all gone. Dogs nearby barked a lot last night but not sure at what. He had 8 ducks that normally hang around the chickens which were all okay. He thinks it was a person who came in overnight and stole his entire flock, which I think is highly unlikely, but can a predator carry off an entire flock without finding feathers/bodies/evidence? We walked 30 acres looking and find no trace of what might have happened. UPDATE: a Turkey and a hen showed back up, walking from the west. He is devastated at the loss and isn't wanting to get more chickens. I wanted to learn so we can try to prevent this from happening in the future.

Possible a predator came and scared them and they have scattered. Since they are not locked up at night they have no safe place to go to and no instinct to come home. Some more might make it back but in future put them in a coop at night.

 

[Kellow1]

Hello everyone, I appreciate any help and to hear others opinions. Is it possible for a large group of chickens to disappear overnight without finding evidence of predators? We are heartbroken and frustrated. My dear friend and next door neighbor, overnight had his entire flock of 29 chickens and 2 Turkeys disappear. We found only few feathers on ground, which could have been there before. I have had chickens for many years, we have had problems with predators breaking into our house and getting one or two, usually raccoons. We are in Oklahoma, our known predators are bobcats, raccoons, possums, owls, skunks, large snakes. We have coyotes and an occasional mountain lion, it's in a rural area. I need help please so we can figure out what happened. He had no cameras and he does not lock them in at night. Which I think he should always do. They normally roost in several different locations, some on the back porch, far away from the hen house and they are all gone. Dogs nearby barked a lot last night but not sure at what. He had 8 ducks that normally hang around the chickens which were all okay. He thinks it was a person who came in overnight and stole his entire flock, which I think is highly unlikely, but can a predator carry off an entire flock without finding feathers/bodies/evidence? We walked 30 acres looking and find no trace of what might have happened. UPDATE: a Turkey and a hen showed back up, walking from the west. He is devastated at the loss and isn't wanting to get more chickens. I wanted to learn so we can try to prevent this from happening in the future.

I am sorry for your and your neighbor's loss. However, I have to agree that this was probably a two-legged predator. It's time to set up the cameras because they may come back for the ducks too!

 

[black_cat]

I'm now very afraid of someone stealing my flock. Even though it's unlikely and I only have four birds. On the new coop build I guess I'll be using padlocks.

 

[oakelm]

Hello everyone, I appreciate any help and to hear others opinions. Is it possible for a large group of chickens to disappear overnight without finding evidence of predators? We are heartbroken and frustrated. My dear friend and next door neighbor, overnight had his entire flock of 29 chickens and 2 Turkeys disappear. We found only few feathers on ground, which could have been there before. I have had chickens for many years, we have had problems with predators breaking into our house and getting one or two, usually raccoons. We are in Oklahoma, our known predators are bobcats, raccoons, possums, owls, skunks, large snakes. We have coyotes and an occasional mountain lion, it's in a rural area. I need help please so we can figure out what happened. He had no cameras and he does not lock them in at night. Which I think he should always do. They normally roost in several different locations, some on the back porch, far away from the hen house and they are all gone. Dogs nearby barked a lot last night but not sure at what. He had 8 ducks that normally hang around the chickens which were all okay. He thinks it was a person who came in overnight and stole his entire flock, which I think is highly unlikely, but can a predator carry off an entire flock without finding feathers/bodies/evidence? We walked 30 acres looking and find no trace of what might have happened. UPDATE: a Turkey and a hen showed back up, walking from the west. He is devastated at the loss and isn't wanting to get more chickens. I wanted to learn so we can try to prevent this from happening in the future.

I would've guessed human predators, except you said this flock is not locked in at night and typically roosts in several different locations. I think it would be hard for someone to catch that many chickens in various locations...

 

[Tonyroo]

What if it was more than one thief, to me it sounds like people stole his birds.