Escaped or predatory bird?

[happylittlehens]

Are you sure they are crows, and not ravens? Ravens are extremely intelligent, and will kill and eat young chicks.

After doing a little research, it may have been a raven. I didn't get a close enough look to tell for sure, but there was only one and I read crows travel in groups. I guess I should put the littles back in the brooder box for awhile.

 

[happylittlehens]

9 weeks is awfully big for a crow or a raven. A young bird 2 months old is is kinda big for a hawk to carry off too especially without leaving feathers.
How do you know it wasn’t a fox or a raccoon?

It happened during the day and I live in a subdivision with kids and people everywhere. My back yard where the chickens are is surrounded by my neighbor's yards. I can't imagine a ground animal would've snuck in mid day and no one heard a commotion or saw anything.

They are pretty big chicks. They are RIR's and almost as big as my adult leghorns.

 

[roosterhavoc]

It happened during the day and I live in a subdivision with kids and people everywhere. My back yard where the chickens are is surrounded by my neighbor's yards. I can't imagine a ground animal would've snuck in mid day and no one heard a commotion or saw anything.

They are pretty big chicks. They are RIR's and almost as big as my adult leghorns.

The run is uncovered? How high is the fence? It doesn’t seem all that likely given the area you live but the only time birds go missing without a trace is usually a fox, coyote or bobcat. There’s plenty of videos online of foxes and bobcats especially taking chickens right in neighborhoods.
There’s no way a hawk or raven took a 9 week old RIR.

 

[happylittlehens]

The run is uncovered? How high is the fence? It doesn’t seem all that likely given the area you live but the only time birds go missing without a trace is usually a fox, coyote or bobcat. There’s plenty of videos online of foxes and bobcats especially taking chickens right in neighborhoods.
There’s no way a hawk or raven took a 9 week old RIR.

6' wood slat fence. Yes it's uncovered. Maybe she found a way out or flew over the fence then.

 

[roosterhavoc]

6' wood slat fence. Yes it's uncovered. Maybe she found a way out or flew over the fence then.

A picture of your run and yard would probably help.

 

[llombardo]

I know mine at that age could fly pretty high up. They are on top of the coop regularly. So I would imagine it could make it over a fence.

 

[townchicks]

Have you talked to the neighbors? She may well have flown over the fence.

 

[happylittlehens]

Have you talked to the neighbors? She may well have flown over the fence.

Yes I let the neighbors know that she may be in their yard and to keep an eye out for her. I hope that's where she is...