Missing silkie

[brandimarie72]

Hello, I have an almost 8 week old silkie, barred rock and GLW. As well as two full grown buff orpingtons and they all get along. I let them free range when I am home so I can keep a close eye on them. I went inside for maybe 10-15 minutes and the two other 8 week olds were pretty shooken up and hiding in separate spowhen I came outside. One came running straight to me and then after a few minutes the other one did. The silkie still is missing. I’ve looked everywhere and I don’t see any feathers or blood at all anywhere and was wondering if there’s a chance she came come back? Or would this be the doing of a hawk? I feel like there might be feathers still if it was a hawk
I feel so terrible and guilty… she was my favorite. Just hoping someone who has experienced this might be able to tell me anything?

 

[nuthatched]

What time of day and what type of predators do you have in your area?

 

[BDutch]

Sorry for you’re loss. There is a small chance she will return if she was hiding from a predator, or a dog that scared the chickens. But a 8 weeks bantam silkie is prey for many predators. Even for a cat or rats.

Over a year ago I had a small bantam missing when the flock was free raging. Never found a trace. It was probably a buzzard who took her, because a few day later I saw a buzzard circling above our house. Coming back again a week after the incident.

I kept my chickens in the net covered run for some weeks. Because predators often come back if they know that there is more food to grab.

 

[Callender Girl]

I don't want to give you false hope, but I have had chickens disappear overnight, cried buckets over their loss and then had them reappear the next day.

I hope she comes back to you.