Is there still hope?

[ltatter]

My flock of six has been free ranging for the past 4 months without any problems. I have yet to see a stray dog on our 10 acres, and we have had no instances of break-ins in the coop at night.

Last night my husband went to lock up the coop at dusk, and only found two of the six sitting on the roost bar. He looked around and found a handful of red feathers (two of the missing four were red sex-link), and nothing else. No body, no other colored feathers from the Welsummer rooster or Barred rock that were also missing.

What's the likelihood that they're not all a lost cause? We have had a few hawks, but have a lot of tree cover and they don't come close. I am so upset, they were my first set and I don't want to start over...and even if I did I still have 2 left and don't want to try to integrate pullets. UGH. Thanks in advance!

 

[featherz]

My flock of six has been free ranging for the past 4 months without any problems. I have yet to see a stray dog on our 10 acres, and we have had no instances of break-ins in the coop at night.

Last night my husband went to lock up the coop at dusk, and only found two of the six sitting on the roost bar. He looked around and found a handful of red feathers (two of the missing four were red sex-link), and nothing else. No body, no other colored feathers from the Welsummer rooster or Barred rock that were also missing.

What's the likelihood that they're not all a lost cause? We have had a few hawks, but have a lot of tree cover and they don't come close. I am so upset, they were my first set and I don't want to start over...and even if I did I still have 2 left and don't want to try to integrate pullets. UGH. Thanks in advance!

Sure, there's hope. They might have just gotten spooked and are hiding =). I've had that happen a few times. If they don't come back, I'm afraid you may have something like a fox on your hands. Could be hawk too, but a hawk probably would not get four in one day. I free ranged for two years with no predation except an occasional hawk, but when the foxes found us, I had a few chickens missing each day. I hope they come back today!

 

[ltatter]

Thanks for answering! I have lurked and learned so much here, and haven't really had any problems or questions that I haven't had answers to until now. I work nights and learned of this while at work tonight, and have been sitting here fretting about it. I am so upset!

 

[featherz]

Sometimes when a predator hit happens (like if a hawk got or tried to get one of yours), the rest go into deep hiding, under bushes or whatnot. I think, however, I would not let your remaining two out this morning unless you see your missing chickens come back. If it is a fox, it will be back for the remaining chickens. They do hunt during the daytime (saw one running off with one of my chicks at 11AM). Hawks of course will hunt in the daytime. Dogs usually leave a mess, so I am thinking not a stray dog - fox more likely to take chicken away from site.

All that said, hopefully they will come back and were just in hiding! =)

 

[cluckcluckluke]

i not sure whats happened with you but probably a fox. So this is what I'D do, lock your chickens up either in their roost or keep them in their run for about a week or more, put out traps use either the dead bodies of your chickens (if you can find them) or just buy a whole chicken or a few pieces of chicken, buy as much for as many traps you have. When or if you catch the fox either kill it or relocate it a LOOOOOOOOOONG way a way or take it to a wildlife centre thing (depending on what your states laws are). The fox will no matter what keep comming back each night until its destroyed you whole flock. You could alos just sell/give away your 2 last chickens wait a month or 2 then restock when the fox has found a better place to feed. No.1 is more affective long term. No.2 is less affective but less effort.