Disappearing chickens

[DiYMama540]

My first thought was racoon also, but I would think there would still be some sign of struggle. Strange...break out the trail cam!!

 

[HenKeepers]

No feathers usually means aerial predator or snake. Everything that walks is sloppy with feathers and blood.

 

[50-45-1]

A raccoon kill leaves A LOT of Feathers and usually a dead carcass not moved to far away.

 

[cmom]

I would put a game camera up because it will be back and then you will know what you're dealing with.

 

[Wackums]

No feathers usually means aerial predator or snake. Everything that walks is sloppy with feathers and blood.

It's happening in January in kentucky it's freezing. It's been a couple years since I seen a snake at winter, and that was after a flash flood

 

[Wackums]

I would put a game camera up because it will be back and then you will know what you're dealing with.

I did just 2 days ago, nothing yet except my neighbor told me a hawk has been getting his, except when mine went missing they was completely locked in my coop, so we could clean our porch and integrate a new rooster (lavender orpington he's gorgeous and I love orpingtons)

 

[Wackums]

A raccoon kill leaves A LOT of Feathers and usually a dead carcass not moved to far away.

What I heard was if it was a mother, she'd kill it when they got to the babies and where they could eat safely without getting hurt.

 

[Wackums]

My main suspects are owls, hawks, raccoons, and a fox. My cousin told me a fox can go anywhere he can stick it's head and they're in a dog pen with holes they could probably fit their head through, but they shouldn't be able to take the chicken out without completely ripping all the feathers and the wings off. My second is a raccoon, because of my reply above this. The owl and hawk is because of the small hole I had, but I don't know if they could get in that. My neighbor also said his chickens has been getting stolen by hawks, but I've seen a hawk for monthes and it never had the courage to go after chickens, mostly because it's smaller than most of my hens. If the hawk is about the size of a medium chicken, could it get a medium chicken?

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

I had 28 chickens, 1 is with my guineas because he thinks he's a guinea since he grew up with them, the rest was in my dogpen the past few days (I had to move them because of a mink so I've been tying my dog up next to them) but I've lost 3 chickens within a week and 2 in just the past couple days) we have a net above the dog pen with a hole in it, no diggin around the pen, no feathers, no blood, no body. No signs of a struggle. What could it be? My neighbor has the same problem but he let's his free range like I used to.

My hint might be a long shot.. or impossible.. but the only thing that i can think of having bloodless, trackless, bodyless way of killing is a snake.

 

[hayley3]

Foxes take chickens, and a 12 inch hole is not small in the world of chicken predators.
Raccoons teach their young to hunt, so they follow mom out of the den once they are finished nursing. With no body I don't think it was a raccoon.