sorry for the circumstances. It would have been difficult for a person to catch and steal 25 free range birds. My gut is that it was some sort of mammalian predator - fox, coyote, bobcat. I doubt dog as they generally make a mess when in a killing frenzy. Hopefully more will return, and be on guard today as 'whatever it was' will very likely return.
Well we are going to spiral the fields now to see if they are lost
Thanks for your responce we are headed out to search now
Take a bucket of treats with you. Or at least the bucket you may use to deliver them treats, it may come in handy.
I agree with @sourland. Maybe a family of fox or coyotes. Possibly bobcat, some predator. If you have a camera put it up and see if anything has been lurking. I have several cameras. I love my cameras. I don't free range anymore due to losses from predators and have nice large pens for my birds with electric wires around all of the pens and coops. The predators know the hot wires are there and I think they teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. I have in the past free ranged for several years until I started loosing them to predators. Hope you find them alive and well. Good luck...
