Missing Chickens please help!!!

[PeckyMcBecky]

Hello, so yesterday a guy came to buy some of my pullets and when he left I accidently left the coop door open. The pullets have free-ranged before, so when I realized the next morning that it was left open, I wasn't too worried. But when I walked over to check on them, all except one had gone missing! No feathers, no signs of an attack. The one that was still there was running around, and got really scared when she saw me. There were about 17 birds before they went missing. I've looked around, but haven't found any others.

Any ideas on what it could have been??? I've dealt with lots of predators before, and nothing like this has ever happened. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[douglasbirds]

When I was a kid a dog got into the chicken house and killed 21 chickens in a night. Most of the carnage was out in the bushes and fields surrounding the place. I caught him the next night trying to kill the remaining three hens, But in your case, it could be just about anything.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Hello, so yesterday a guy came to buy some of my pullets and when he left I accidently left the coop door open. The pullets have free-ranged before, so when I realized the next morning that it was left open, I wasn't too worried. But when I walked over to check on them, all except one had gone missing! No feathers, no signs of an attack. The one that was still there was running around, and got really scared when she saw me. There were about 17 birds before they went missing. I've looked around, but haven't found any others.

Any ideas on what it could have been??? I've dealt with lots of predators before, and nothing like this has ever happened. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

They probably wandered off as a flock. Where do you think they would go?

 

[PeckyMcBecky]

When I was a kid a dog got into the chicken house and killed 21 chickens in a night. Most of the carnage was out in the bushes and fields surrounding the place. I caught him the next night trying to kill the remaining three hens, But in your case, it could be just about anything.

That was one of my theories too, but I've looked all around the woods and around the barns, and I've haven't found a single feather. My brother went outside last night to check on our other chickens, and claims he saw something black about fox size around my pullet barn. So maybe fox? Or more than one fox?

 

[coledabomb]

Hello, so yesterday a guy came to buy some of my pullets and when he left I accidently left the coop door open. The pullets have free-ranged before, so when I realized the next morning that it was left open, I wasn't too worried. But when I walked over to check on them, all except one had gone missing! No feathers, no signs of an attack. The one that was still there was running around, and got really scared when she saw me. There were about 17 birds before they went missing. I've looked around, but haven't found any others.

Any ideas on what it could have been??? I've dealt with lots of predators before, and nothing like this has ever happened. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I forgot to close my coop for the night and next morning I Heard my main rooster crowing in the neighbors yard and they had a dog! Good thing he was close to the wall… close enough for me to hop it without being attacked by there huge German shepherd

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera, put it up and see if anything has been lurking. Maybe they are hiding. If they were indeed taken it could have been one or more of many different predators, fox, coyote, dog, bobcat. Not knowing where you live and what predators you have. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

You can add your location.

 

[Krugerrand]

any updates? have any chickens returned?

 

[PeckyMcBecky]

I forgot to close my coop for the night and next morning I Heard my main rooster crowing in the neighbors yard and they had a dog! Good thing he was close to the wall… close enough for me to hop it without being attacked by there huge German shepherd

Lol, glad you got him back!

If you have a game camera, put it up and see if anything has been lurking. Maybe they are hiding. If they were indeed taken it could have been one or more of many different predators, fox, coyote, dog, bobcat. Not knowing where you live and what predators you have. Good luck...

That's a good idea, I will probably set one up tonight. I live in North Carolina, so we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, dogs, and possums. We also have owls and hawks, but I don't think they could have taken all of the chickens. Do you know what kind of predators would take multiple chickens and run?

 

[Krugerrand]

Do you know what kind of predators would take multiple chickens and run?

Any chance of theft by human?