MY CHICKENS ARE GONE TONIGHT!

[Conan]

OMG that is a nightmare, this will be a night of NO sleep, I want them in their little safe house so desperately. I love my chickies. I will never let them out again

Please don't hold it against them... they are so much happier out and about though I completely understand your fears. There are many ways to help them stay safe and lots of folks on here have ideas for that (I am not one of them, I let my chickens run wild). I do lose them now and then, but I think that their quality of life is important.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Coyotes could just carry one away. or large cat or dog or fox or raptor or more.

 

[LavvyTaffy]

I'm afraid it may be a hawk, I've had free ranging chickens up and vanish without a trace.
Hope it's not a predator, and they turn up by morning...

 

[Latestarter]

We don't have fox here, please spare me the graphic details at this moment, like I said in the start, my girls have been gone just 3 hours and I am deeply panicked, that kind of salt stings badly and is not necessary.

I apologize that I injured your feelings. No salt was intended. I'm sorry that your birds are missing. I was not being graphic in the least. I could have been entirely more graphic had I chosen to be. I was trying to explain in the kindest way possible, what you were dealing with, and trying to completely answer the questions YOU posed. I didn't cause your issue and I was trying to help you to solve it.

I can pretty much promise you that you do indeed have fox there, whether you see them or not. If you have coyotes, you certainly have fox as well.

 

[Farm life101]

Yes I had the same thing happene and in the morning the chicken was sitting at the coop I would just wait and see because there is so much land that can go to I wouldn’t try to search for them

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sorry, but it sounds like an owl... they are notorious for hunting right at and sometimes slightly before dusk... silent and they'll leave no trace...

 

[Chickalish]

I have ALOT of barn owls, can they pick up and go away with a large chicken? I understand the littler one but the large one is my biggest, she is quite heavy

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have ALOT of barn owls, can they pick up and go away with a large chicken? I understand the littler one but the large one is my biggest, she is quite heavy

A barn owl *might not*, but a GHO certainly could and would...

 

[CapricornFarm]

I honestly feel your pain. I had a snow day where all my ducks decided to be @$$holes and not return home in the evening. I called it the great duckopolypse. They ALL lived. Coyotes, hawks and eagles be damned! Found them all over the next few days. I've lost birds to dogs, coyotes, weasels. The only thing that doesn't leave evidence is a bird of prey...

Not so, if a bird of prey feels safe they start tearing out feathers and eating.

 

[Below frigid]

Even Great Horned Owls are not going to take multiple birds in one night. Hawks can not fly off with a full grow Chicken, or even a eagle. They would eat it where the caught it. Your predator was not one that flies. Bobcats take multiple birds but usually leave sign. Coyotes could take them without sign. I know it's mating season for them right now. I am guessing Fox as well. Hope you get lucky and they turn up. Even the Great Horned Owls can't fly very far carrying a chicken!