Lost my 8 week old Easter Egger- but to what?

[ckelley]

I went out to check the girls this morning and found that their door had been opened. My white EE, the bravest and most curious of my girls is gone.

I initially thought:
Maybe she got out- but no tracks in the snow
Maybe something got in- but few loose feathers and no blood

Could a predator take her and not leave any trace? I thought raccoons were brutal when they killed and other than that or an owl (maybe?) I have no idea.

I don't have the $ for a predictor camera or it would have been out there already.

 

[PeepersMama]

If it snowed last night, then any tracks could've been filled in, but I doubt that any chicken, brave or not, would go outside at night, especially when there's snow on the ground.
That's weird

Maybe if she got out, she'll come back

Check the area around your yard for any feathers. A really experienced preadtor can drag a chicken out of a tight space and leave no sign until they actually kill the bird (stupid foxes).

 

[ckelley]

We live in town, but less than a mile from the river. It didn't snow last night

. My coop is in the far corner of the yard against the alley. We have a 6ft privacy fence and two dogs...

I can see how a raccoon could get across the fence, along the gate, onto the coop and down to the door. I don't see how it could have then gotten away without leaving a trace.

I've looked all over their run- even kicking at lumps in the snow just in case.

I know skunks can dig, but again, there were not any prints in the snow around the coop and it sits high, 2.5 off the ground.

 

[PeepersMama]

This is really weird

 

[ckelley]

Just went and checked on them again and everything is fine

 

[PeepersMama]

That's so pretty!