Have two hens missing without a trace ??

[trishaleaird]

I’m
Wondering how I have two hens in two days missing without a trace?? Me an my husband had a total of 11 Rhode Island reds...we do free range due to having 3 acres we have our dogs that guard but usually let dogs in at night an out randomly....Two of my girls have gone missing we did a walk search of the entire property yesterday...no evadence of an air attack no feathers no struggle an no weird noises at night...They roost on our back deck in boxes an on patio furniture....until we get a coop built ..we have decide to do so now have never had a problem with this...one went missing last night at some
Point cause I had ten fed this morning did head count one is no where to be found??? I’m wondering if they are wandering off to neighbors that also have free range chickens or is something else going on ??? An suggestions I am going to leave my German shepherd out tonight for a night patrol just to see ...we do have two roosters an they are good about warning of a predator an they have not gone off so it’s kinda suspicious.....Trisha

 

[HeyHeyWW]

I'm not sure what it could be, maybe they did wander off. You should probably ask your neighbors to see. If not, maybe a human could've stolen your chickens?
Raccoons can also take chickens without a trace, it could also probably be a coyote or a fox. Remember chickens can't see at night, so maybe your roosters couldn't see if there was a raccoon or some predator that entered and couldn't warn the hens.

 

[GirlsMommy18]

2 missing so close together is suspicious at best. Sounds like you have a predator that found your flock, but I'd check the neighbors just in case. If it were one, I'd say you could possibly just have her hiding a nest she's brooding, but with both gone its not as likely.

 

[50-45-1]

You did not say where you are located so we know what kind of preditors you have in your area.
Also how old are your chickens? If they are juveniles and small an owl could have easily flew off with one at night. Or a large hawk during the day.
Roosting on your back porch at night leaves them vunerable to everything and they have no defenses.
They can not defend themselves from much of anything, they depend on you to do that. If you have a large dog kennel, lock them in that at night and put it in your garage.
There are things that can enter a dog crate if it is outside on your porch.
Welcome to Back Yard Chickens, and i hope your coop is built Soon.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Your neighbor is stealing your chickens!! Dress up like a ninja at night and go scope out your neighbor's chicken coop to see if your chickens are there. Bring a flashlight, a water bottle, and a pack of Saltines to munch on in case your neighbor stays up late at night. Best of luck.

 

[sourland]

Snatch and grab predator large enough to readily carry off a large bird - fox, coyote, bobcat, fisher.

 

[SueT]

Welcome to BYC....we had coyotes take chickens 'without a trace' until I tromped thru the woods, and found small piles of feathers.....
I would say it is a laarge predator(s), and it will be back.
Lock survivors up asap....

 

[trishaleaird]

I plan on leaving my German shepherd out tonight with them...He doesn’t harm the chickens he watches them ...I was just suspicious cause I have had several people stop an ask am I selling my birds an I strictly tell them no ....my entire
Property is fenced in an I have a wood fence around where the chickens are loose...I live in south Texas in a old subdivision that each property is between 1-3-5 acres so we do have neighbors with in eyesight......I have not seen any kinda foxes or coyotes....did hear an owl one
Night but the porches are
Closed In to an extent so it would be a hard for a
Grab for an air assault but did go out an shoot shotgun into trees haven’t heard owl
Since An rooster warned me of him cause he was raising a ruckus til I figured out what it was.....my chickens are between 12-15 months but these are big chickens most a busting a good 5-7 pounds ....An thank you for the welcomes an input ...

 

[trishaleaird]

 

[trishaleaird]