I lost my first chicken today *Update*

[JPichler]

My kids were outside playing around 12:30pm and my Easter Egger, Esther was there and then a couple hours later, they went out to play again and my daughter noticed she was missing. After checking the whole yard I found a small pile of feathers and a little scattering of feathers as evidence...what would come during the day in the early afternoon? I'm so sad....now I'm afraid to free range them, but I only have 13 now, I don't want to lose anymore! My husband is setting a live trap as I write...

 

[NovaAman]

Hawks.... pesty little bighters.

 

[theoldchick]

Maybe a hawk? Sorry for your loss.

 

[Marcymom3]

Awww... sorry for your loss. Can't imagine.

 

[Baymule]

 

[Pebbles]

Coyotes got mine in the afternoon. Took me a couple days before I caught on. Once they start they always come back.

 

[JPichler]

One other bit of info to add to my original post...last week I found a pile of animal poo about three feet from the coop. It was most likely from fox or coyote. I suspect my Esther was killed by a fox...but did not consider coyote since it was during the day. Also, all common chicken predators are in my area, so there are many possibilities. My mother-in-law also has chickens and she free-ranges her's and has not had any problems as of late....and she lives across the street from me.

 

[JPichler]

My Esther is ALIVE!! I went out early this morning to check on the chickens and she walked around the corner of the run....she was out, in the cold, all night by herself...poor thing! I'm so surprised something did not get her during the night. My guess is that the pile of her feathers was from some type of daytime predator; domestic cat maybe?...and she was scared and went off to hide and that is why I could not find her. I locked up the hens before dark after I thought she was killed and I did not get back out there at dark to check on them again cause I was so busy last night. I'm so happy she is okay, but now I have to decide if I should let them free range or not...do you think they will be safe? What might have pulled out all those feathers and caused such a scare...as it was apparent that the other hens seemed scared as well....like all huddled in the run when they usually are free ranging and one hiding way up on top of the wood pile in the wood shed. Also want to note that the other hens have been picking on Esther for some time now...she has a bare spot at the base of her tail from a pecking problem. They only pick on her...could the pile of feathers be from the other hens? But at the same time...I've never seen her go into hiding like that before...she usually stays very close to the other chickens and plays very happily with them...it's such a mystery.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Esther is alive! I am so happy for you! Poor little Esther, I know she must have been so scared. At least she was able to find a safe place to hide till morning.

 

[Todd]

I'm new to the chicken business but after many swooping hawks that have been scared away by our Irish Terriers I have decided to only free range my birds for a couple of hours, and only when the dogs are out. To much hassle adding new birds to my flock of 19.