Missing chickens mystery

[cmom]

Yesterday evening when I went out to collect eggs I noticed all of the birds in one of my coops and pens was missing. No sign of them anywhere. It was late but I did walk around the pens and didn't find any breach. This morning I went out and discovered the wire in the top part of the pen gate was busted out. I should have taken some pictures but went ahead and temporarily put it back up because it wasn't that long ago that I had put new wire on the gate. I had chicken wire and 1 x 2" welded wire over the chicken wire. This morning I used some tie wraps to hold it up and later today I will get the compressor out and staple it good. I do have some cameras pointing at the coops and one camera did get set off but it was real foggy out so there was no way to tell what set the camera off. Just my luck... I'll also go out and search and see if I find any feathers in the field or bodies. The cameras were reset but nothing on them last night. I may put a couple of my young cockerels in that coop and pen and see if anything shows up.
The coop on the end.

This is the gate That I originally put up before I put the welded wire on when I was building the pen. I used tie wraps here too until I could get the compressor out and staple it on. Here I ran out of staples so I used the tie wraps but did replace them with staples. There is a hot wire along the bottom between the coops but I'm putting another piece or two up today.

Here is pen. These are the missing birds. I have seen coyotes, fox and a bobcat on the cameras now and then.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Yesterday evening when I went out to collect eggs I noticed all of the birds in one of my coops and pens was missing. No sign of them anywhere. It was late but I did walk around the pens and didn't find any breach. This morning I went out and discovered the wire in the top part of the pen gate was busted out. I should have taken some pictures but went ahead and temporarily put it back up because it wasn't that long ago that I had put new wire on the gate. I had chicken wire and 1 x 2" welded wire over the chicken wire. This morning I used some tie wraps to hold it up and later today I will get the compressor out and staple it good. I do have some cameras pointing at the coops and one camera did get set off but it was real foggy out so there was no way to tell what set the camera off. Just my luck... I'll also go out and search and see if I find any feathers in the field or bodies. The cameras were reset but nothing on them last night. I may put a couple of my young cockerels in that coop and pen and see if anything shows up.
The coop on the end.
View attachment 2920174
This is the gate shortly after I replaced.
View attachment 2920154
Here is pen. These are the missing birds. I have seen coyotes, fox and a bobcat on the cameras now and then.
View attachment 2920179

Hope they’re doing good! I hope no coyotes or foxes got one of your chickens

 

[Silkie Princess]

Couldn't it be a person? I don't think it's too likey but why would the cam just turn off by itself?

 

[LaFleche]

What a nasty surpise. Any chance that they might have been taken by two legged predators?

As I understand it, you raise your birds for show, which might incite desires and envy in some people...

 

[cmom]

The camera didn't turn off. It was very foggy out so what ever set off the camera is a mystery because of the thick fog I was unable to see anything in the picture except the fog.

 

[cmom]

I'm not sure but whatever went through the top part of the gate went through the welded wire and chicken wire. The wire was intact but bent in. I have spring latch hooks on all of my gates so you have to pull back on the spring to unlatch the gate. The whole top part of the gate in the picture I posted was pushed in but the bottom part was still intact. Cameras are set. Nothing on them last night. I'm going in to the pen today and look for tracks. I looked a bit but will check more when I go out and look for any birds and feathers.

 

[McChooky]

Very sorry for your loss! Do you have mountain lions?

 

[Chickengirl2671]

Was there any feathers or blood because if there wasn't it sounds like they were stolen.

 

[cmom]

Very sorry for your loss! Do you have mountain lions?

Florida does have panthers but I have never seen any around here.

 

[cmom]

Was there any feathers or blood because if there wasn't it sounds like they were stolen.

No signs of anything. It's like they just vanished. I am going out to look around more and into the field. I did check in the pasture but didn't go any further. The mystery is that whatever it was went through the wires on the top of the gate which I posted a picture of in my first post. There is a bar across the middle of the gate so whatever went over the bar and pushed the welded wire and chicken wire it was over out, but the bottom wire was still ok.