Missing flock!!! Help please

[cmom]

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Sounds like someone may have stolen them.

 

[cmom]

It could have been a two legged predator that knew you were gone. Which has also crossed my mind.

 

[The Chicken Whisperer]

We were away from 10days, but had our neighbors tending our flock-who own 15 chickens of their own, and have for 5yrs. They called us while away and said it looked like there were some feathers in the grass, but no flesh/body/blood. There was one chicken, out of our 8, on the roof of my car. They put that one in the coop and came back in the morning to find 5 others. Two had gone missing. Then, the next day, the neighbors went to put them all in the coop and there were none. All of them were missing. This was yesterday. Today, they are still gone.
As a new hen mother, I’m a bit distraught because I’ve raised these girls. We did have severe thunderstorms while away. I’m wondering a few things... did they all get eaten while hiding in the woods during the storms? Did someone take them? Are they still hiding? Do they just walk off??
Please help me with any type of closure.
-feeling helpless

I feel so bad for you!!! You might want to put up missing signs, like you would for a dog. They might come back when it gets dark. Maybe they were scared by the storms and wandered away? You should check your coop for escape routes (holes in the fence or an easy place to fly over) Are they free range? I am totally empathetic because I hand raise and name all my hens and one day they all got out of the run and ran all over the neighborhood for a couple of days before we found them. I really hope you find your lost sweeties. Best of luck!

 

[NuggetLove]

I always have a special unique call that means great treats are coming. I always thought it would be helpful in this situation. If you find yours or get more, I suggest trying this. Train them young and keep reinforcing regularly.
I hope you find them

I did thank you. As chicks, days old I have talked with the same voice and whistles at the specific times for food etc. they’ve imprinted in me. We actually had 6 return. 2 are still missing

 

[ronott1]

I did thank you. As chicks, days old I have talked with the same voice and whistles at the specific times for food etc. they’ve imprinted in me. We actually had 6 return. 2 are still missing

Did your chicken sitters forget to close the door on the coop?

It might be time to invest in an automatic door closing system

 

[bobbi-j]

They free range. We live on a main road, but have over an acre that they’ve stayed to for the past three months. All of them disappeared tho. In one day!!!

My guess would be fox or coyotes. Several years ago, we were gone for 2 weeks. My mom was coming over and letting the chickens out to free range as I asked her to. One day she'd been there around noon to check on things, and when she came back 4 hours later, half the flock was gone without a trace. She locked the rest in the coop with attached run until we got home.

 

[NuggetLove]

Did your chicken sitters forget to close the door on the coop?

It might be time to invest in an automatic door closing system

They didn’t. This happened during the day.

 

[HazelandPearl]

I hope the other two show up soon! Sorry your having to go through this

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I'm sorry to say if you found feathers and they have not yet returned it is most likely a predator. Something big to carry the bodies off whole, like a fox or coyote. If you look around the perimeter of your property you may find a pile of feathers in a few spots.