i just need some ideas whats going on. confused.

amberella138

Hatching
9 Years
Jul 29, 2010
3
0
7
Hi ya guys, forgive me for not having a profile or pic. Anyway... I'm very new to having chickens (since april) well... instantly I fell in love and I love them and I never thought id have so much respect for chickens. Amazzzzing animals. I also let them free range and they walk themselves to bed everynight. Ok... and I do realize you are going to lose some. Well... I started out with 15 and I lost a leghorn hen to my mothers dog max. He got lose and headed to my house with one mission. Of course sad and mad but I accepted it. Ok... so second chicken... well she was one of three red stars. Well 4 weeks ago between 3 -5 in the afternoon just vanished! Nothing... no blood or signs of a struggle or anything. I had heard rumors that's a teenager was was going to steal one and I was really upset and two days later she was gone. Well talking to the kids friend he said he wouldn't do that, he's a good kid, and had only been joking. Well... I couldn't image someone stealing a chicken? So everyone (family,friends) cooper hawk. Ok.... so I've constantly looked up to the sky everysince and my husband built them a beautiful coop out of the sight of spying teenager eyes with a lock. Ok now today.... I feel so sick. I have no idea what happen. Nothing... no blood... no feathers... no signs of struggle. Another Hen... gone. In the middle of the night. I didn't lock it well.... because I'm nieve and I really can't imagine someone coming on my property and stealing my ladies!? My question to any of you have mysterously lost chickens or not. Could a predator (and not the human kind) be that slick to get a chicken out of the coop somehow without anysigns. I mean wouldn't it kill the chicken there and possibly eat it there or kill the others too? I just need some ideas or advice.... I mean the police are gonna laugh and not do one thing if I don't really have idea if I'm dealing with a thief or animal. any thoughts are welcome and thank you so very much for taking the time to read. I will be locking them up for now on and it just makes me feel so sad. Thx Amber. BTW forgive my spelling and goofs. I wrote this from a tiny phone
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With absolutely no feathers scattered about, I would say the bird was stolen. Some predators will carry off a bird, but generally there are at least a heavy scattering of feathers. You said the coop was not locked? Was it closed? Any chance she could have escaped and flown out of the yard?
 
So is it completely secure top and bottom but no means of entry but through a door? You could get a remote motion sensor to warn you of activity at the coop. Also, normally when there's a predator, they'll be alot of noise. Did you hear any noise? I think you'll have to try keeping it locked at night or when you're not at home.
 
Thanks guys! Ok last night before I closed them in for the night I was taking pictures of them all so of course I went threw to see if she was in thm and yes! There she was standing next to the Polish hen. The coop def secure they have a sliding door that is open and closed everynight into a big pen when the weathers wrong and to secure them. The pen if also fenced on top. The bottom is flat to the ground with cement blocks. I walked around it a hundred times trying to figure out what could possibly pull a big fat hen threw that fence. No dig marks... no tunnels... nothing. Only thing I can think is the sliding door to the coop wasn't shut all the way and an animal somehow got into fenced part then the coop, stole a chicken and somehow dragged it threw somewhere and left no evidence at all. She's the only brown chicken I have so I would def know her feathers. I don't want to admit it... but I really do think someone is taking them! And I'm so upset... I just hope they are not hurting them. That is a perfect idea abt motion lights. I'm going tonight and my husbands going to further secure it. Its so sad how some people can ruin it fort everyone else. Thank you again. I'm gonna go walk around the property with my dogs and see if she's in the woods.
 
Let us know what happens, look for footprints or animals signs and feathers, any feather. There are alot of crummy motion sensor lights. I like the Heath-Zennith brand you can get at Home Depot. I don't know how close it is to your house but maybe you can use some fishing line and rig some noisey windchymes so it makes a lot of racket when a doors get opened. I was wondering if a remote baby monitor would work if it's noise activated.
 
we have a solar powered motion light from home depot and it works well. I have had foxes steal birds and not leave a trace until they are in the woods. look carefully. If you suspect a people the I would string up some bells or cans about mid thigh height in the door way of the coop. If they know you are on to them they will stop.
 
Put some sand down by the entry door, and rake it smooth. Then look at the foot prints the next morning. That will tell you if it's 4 legged or two legged predators.
 
If the coop is close to your house a fox will snatch and run like heck, Very little sign of a struggle. Same for a coyote. But they can not open doors. For $40.00 you can get a Moultrie Game Camera. It is motion sensitive and will take a photo of anything near your coop and conceals easily on a tree. A picture of the chicken thief with the goods in his hands is all law enforcement needs. Only problem is at night it will flash and whoever is there may know thay got caught and try to steal it too. Putting it up out of reach will not only stop them from getting it but knowing they are busted is a plus too lol.
 
If you want to be real sneaky, you could try a remote sensor (if it's not too far from the house) that sets off a buzzer or turns on a light when motion is detected. Then of course you would be going out to confront someone (or some thing) which also has its risks. A motion sensing infrared camera would be really cool. I think some of these things are available pretty cheaply these days. I don't know how hard to install. These are troubled times though so it might not be a bad idea to have one around. My neighbors had to do that and I suppose if they could do it anyone probably can.
 

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