Missing hens

[Carol1463]

A week ago my rooster disappeared . Gone for 24,hrs . ( heard a squabble , didn't think much about it ) went to give a snack to the group , no rooster. Looked everywhere . He showed back up& was a bit frazzled & upset & not to active with his girls . A week later found a hen dead in yard ( we have a 5 ft fence ) now yesterday , I heard a squabble & went outside & rooster looked upset( I failed to count my chickens ) one hen just vanished !! No evidence no nothing . My dog in the house . He has shown no aggression towards them ever . I'm watching him closely at all times !

 

[Hei 20]

A week ago my rooster disappeared . Gone for 24,hrs . ( heard a squabble , didn't think much about it ) went to give a snack to the group , no rooster. Looked everywhere . He showed back up& was a bit frazzled & upset & not to active with his girls . A week later found a hen dead in yard ( we have a 5 ft fence ) now yesterday , I heard a squabble & went outside & rooster looked upset( I failed to count my chickens ) one hen just vanished !! No evidence no nothing . My dog in the house . He has shown no aggression towards them ever . I'm watching him closely at all times !

Maybe is a flying predator. No matter how tall your fence is, they will fly in there.
I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Peggysaurus]

I've heard of hens leaving for long periods of time to raise their chicks, but then again you said you have a 5ft fence. It would be really hard for her to get out, and chickens aren't good flyers. I agree with Hei 20, I think that it might be a flying predator.

 

[cmom]

It could be most any predator. Years ago a coyote jumped over a 5' fence and got into a pen. It also jumped out with some of the birds. I did get a shot off but I had bird shot in my gun so I didn't kill it but it did run off after killing some birds. If you have a game camera, put it up. The predator has probably been lurking looking for an opportunity. Here most of the predators roam at night. I have several cameras up. I love my cameras. Most likely the predator will be back. Good luck...

 

[BlueBaby]

Do you have any coyotes in your area? They are able to even jump over a 7 foot fence.

 

[DouglasB]

any number of beasties or airborne predators could be the culprit. Most anything can get over a fence, its meant to keep the birds in, but it wont keep out predators.

 

[FearlessFeather]

I’ve seen where one would run strings on top of open pen. Back and forth and different angles to prevent flying predators from flying in. I’ve seen it on YouTube! Might help prevent Birds of prey.

 

[cmom]

I’ve seen where one would run strings on top of open pen. Back and forth and different angles to prevent flying predators from flying in. I’ve seen it on YouTube! Might help prevent Birds of prey.

I tried fishing line in the past and an owl still got through the fishing line and killed some birds. I finally bought some good heavy duty netting. I had some crappy netting over a section of the pens and the owl went through the crappy netting and killed some birds. I move the remaining birds to another coop and put a camera up and the owl came back. I replaced the crappy netting with some good netting and the owl tried to go through it again but this time got stuck. We managed to get it out and into a cage. We called a wildlife rescue and they came and got it.

 

[ackie]

I've heard of hens leaving for long periods of time to raise their chicks, but then again you said you have a 5ft fence. It would be really hard for her to get out, and chickens aren't good flyers. I agree with Hei 20, I think that it might be a flying predator.

Flying ability varies by breed. My birds roost above my head so I suspect they could get over a 5 ft fence.

 

[Allthefloofs]

We caught a coyote on camera jumping a 76 inch fence, taking a chicken and jumping back out, it can't free jump one as high as we have, there is climbing involved, but 5' is a bounce in and a bounce out.