Missing chicken!!! Need help

[finneasW]

My fully grown hen dissapeared last night and I have no idea if she’s alive or not. I found feathers and a tiny bit of blood near the coop and some more a little further but no body and no body parts. I’ve dealt with raccoons before and usually they leave a mess! But it’s like she disappeared. The other night, a possum snuck in while I was putting my ducks and chickens away and ate some eggs. The possum was not that big and seemed pretty docile. He just wanted to steal eggs and didn’t bother my chickens. So i’m not sure if it was a possum. I assumed my chicken escaped and got attacked but there’s no hole or way she could’ve gotten out (or a predator get in) so I’m really confused. Either way, she slipped out somehow and now is missing. I found some feces nearby, two piles that looked very different. One was tiny pellet looking feces, similar to a deer. And the other was fresher feces that looked similar to a dog but a little more runny. Is it possible the predator took her and left without a mess? She’s been missing since 6 AM (at least) and I feel like there’s a possibility I can find her, or her body if I’m too late.

 

[aart]

Is it possible the predator took her and left without a mess?

Yes.

 

[Geena]

Definitely not an opossum. How did he "sneak in"?
Coyotes and foxes often just grab and go.

 

[MarysAviaryHeartAndZoo]

My fully grown hen dissapeared last night and I have no idea if she’s alive or not. I found feathers and a tiny bit of blood near the coop and some more a little further but no body and no body parts. I’ve dealt with raccoons before and usually they leave a mess! But it’s like she disappeared. The other night, a possum snuck in while I was putting my ducks and chickens away and ate some eggs. The possum was not that big and seemed pretty docile. He just wanted to steal eggs and didn’t bother my chickens. So i’m not sure if it was a possum. I assumed my chicken escaped and got attacked but there’s no hole or way she could’ve gotten out (or a predator get in) so I’m really confused. Either way, she slipped out somehow and now is missing. I found some feces nearby, two piles that looked very different. One was tiny pellet looking feces, similar to a deer. And the other was fresher feces that looked similar to a dog but a little more runny. Is it possible the predator took her and left without a mess? She’s been missing since 6 AM (at least) and I feel like there’s a possibility I can find her, or her body if I’m too late.

Hi. I’m so sorry about your hen. In my years of experience, coyotes and possums kill and drag the body far away. Sometimes you’ll find a small bit of bloody feathers from the scuffle. Sadly, when the body is nowhere in sight, a coyote is the likely culprit. Make sure your pens are completely coyote proof (nowhere to dig under, enter from roof, and latched doors).

 

[MarysAviaryHeartAndZoo]

Definitely not an opossum. How did he "sneak in"?
Coyotes and foxes often just grab and go.

Could be a possum. I watched one latch onto my 12lb duck by the cheek and dragged her outside her pen at dusk. I was able to scare it off my duck and rehab her for the next year. I’ve never seen a possum so big in my life! They can drag the body far away from the attack site.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had something break my coop window and take a couple pullets. There were feathers. Later it took a different hen and left wings.

 

[Purelychicks]

My fully grown hen dissapeared last night and I have no idea if she’s alive or not. I found feathers and a tiny bit of blood near the coop and some more a little further but no body and no body parts. I’ve dealt with raccoons before and usually they leave a mess! But it’s like she disappeared. The other night, a possum snuck in while I was putting my ducks and chickens away and ate some eggs. The possum was not that big and seemed pretty docile. He just wanted to steal eggs and didn’t bother my chickens. So i’m not sure if it was a possum. I assumed my chicken escaped and got attacked but there’s no hole or way she could’ve gotten out (or a predator get in) so I’m really confused. Either way, she slipped out somehow and now is missing. I found some feces nearby, two piles that looked very different. One was tiny pellet looking feces, similar to a deer. And the other was fresher feces that looked similar to a dog but a little more runny. Is it possible the predator took her and left without a mess? She’s been missing since 6 AM (at least) and I feel like there’s a possibility I can find her, or her body if I’m too late.

Fox or coyote is your most likely problem, they grab and go- make now mess.

 

[Adolph Otto]

Are you saying the coop was completely secure all night and a hen went missing? No holes or open doors in the morning? How could a predator possibly grab her and leave the coop secure? Are you sure somebody didn't take her? Sorry that happened. That's a head-scratcher.

 

[McChooky]

If a possum can get in your coop it isn't tight enough . It only takes a 3" or 4" hole for foxes,coons and bob cats to get in and out.

 

[Crittak]

I was told owls and chicken hawks. Not sure how ur coop is built or if they could fly in and pick up ur hen.