I have had 8 chickens since March. We’ve been free ranging them for about a month or two. Today, when I got home I went to vist my chickens as I usually do and I noticed that there were only 7. I didn’t think much of it expecting it to be in one of our neighbors yards (they are pretty skilled at jumping fences) until I noticed my Rhode Island Red - Peach had a wound and missing feathers on her wing and down to her butt feathers. My other Rhode Island Red - cherrio went missing. We looked for hours and only found feathers scattered on some grass that could’ve been peach’s or Cheerio’s. I have seen hawks in the area recently but they looked like a small enough size to where I deemed that they would be harmless. It could’ve been a dog, this happened in broad daylight and I live in a suburban neighborhood so I would expect foxes or anything else like that to be in a different area. If you have any tips or information about helping my find my lost chicken, or helping heal peaches wound then please respond I’m getting pretty desperate at this point.
Basic info - 18 weeks old
One chicken layed one egg about 5 days ago
The scattered feathers didn’t have any flesh or blood on them
The feathers were in an un fenced section of grass in between houses where dogs and other animals could easily gain access to
MIA-7/25/19
Also I’m located in Colorado near On the front range if this helps in a suburban neighborhood
UPDATE:
The lost chicken Cheerio has been found!
While I was looking for her in my neighbors backyard, in the house behind us a lady was gardening and randomly asked me if I was looking for a chicken! Sure enough the lady pulled out Herriot from behind a tree in her backyard and told me she found it wandering in the street so she took it in and fed it some melon and bread! It alive and well, now I just need to heal peach from her wounds… I assume that when Cheerio saw peach get attacked by this villainous creature Cheerio got scared and ran away. Thank you for all of your guy’s stories and suggestions!
Basic info - 18 weeks old
One chicken layed one egg about 5 days ago
The scattered feathers didn’t have any flesh or blood on them
The feathers were in an un fenced section of grass in between houses where dogs and other animals could easily gain access to
MIA-7/25/19
Also I’m located in Colorado near On the front range if this helps in a suburban neighborhood
UPDATE:
The lost chicken Cheerio has been found!
While I was looking for her in my neighbors backyard, in the house behind us a lady was gardening and randomly asked me if I was looking for a chicken! Sure enough the lady pulled out Herriot from behind a tree in her backyard and told me she found it wandering in the street so she took it in and fed it some melon and bread! It alive and well, now I just need to heal peach from her wounds… I assume that when Cheerio saw peach get attacked by this villainous creature Cheerio got scared and ran away. Thank you for all of your guy’s stories and suggestions!
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It appears to me possibly a fox. If you have a game camera, put it up because most likely the predator will be back and then you will know what you're dealing with. That is the hazard of free ranging. Eventually most people who do free range their birds even in their yards, the birds will eventually be discovered by predators. A few months ago I lost a very special bird to a fox during the middle of the day. She was out in the yard and I had gotten side tracked and when I called her she didn't come to me which was very unusual. She would always come when I called her. I went looking for her and all I could find was feathers. I did see a fox on a game camera. I knew the risks but I still cried over the loss of my Gladys. Good luck.
