Lost my first hen

[tinakevin]

Hi all well yesturday was a sad day for me. I lost one of my original girls to a predator. Not sure what so we put a camera out there and hopefully we can see what is was. I feel so horrible because she got out of the run and couldn't get back into the coop so she went under the coop. I think she got trapped by it. I am usually so diligent about getting out there to close up the coop before dark and make sure they are all tucked in safely. My coop is super safe. But my son came home from college and we went grocery shopping and by the time we got back it was dark I didn't think we would be gone that long. When I went out there she wasn't in the coop and when I looked under it there were way too many feathers for me to think she was ok. I looked in the woods for her and she didn't come home today. Lesson learned find out how they r getting out of the wire part of the yard and fix it and be home before dark. I am sorry for the rambling I'm just devastated

 

[cavemanrich]

I share your feelings. I lost chickens because I did not make it in time to close up the coop.

Most likely it sounds like a raccoon predator. Hope you can see where your chickens are getting out , and correct it.

 

[tinakevin]

I sure will I have never seen a raccoon here but I'm not nieve I know they r there. I only saw feathers nothing else. Is this what raccoons do. I hope we capture something on the camera.

 

[cavemanrich]

I only took a guess since there were feathers all over. If it was a fox, I think much less feathers from struggle and carried away quickly. A coyote, pick and carry with not much feather loss at coop site. Just my thoughts. I never encountered fox or coyote,in my area. Raccoons are common by me.