My Favorite Hen is Gone!

[ChipTheChicken]

I have 12 chickens, one of which has gone missing. Every night, I usually close to chickens up... However, I forgot to last night. This morning when I went to go feed and water my little cuties, one was missing. There are feathers right outside the coop, but not blood. Could something have taken it? (We have a fenced in area that leads into the coop. The actual coop doors are ALWAYS closed. I usually close up the door from the fenced in side every night.) I can't keep my mind off of the subject, I feel very guilty.

 

[nchls school]

I have 12 chickens, one of which has gone missing. Every night, I usually close to chickens up... However, I forgot to last night. This morning when I went to go feed and water my little cuties, one was missing. There are feathers right outside the coop, but not blood. Possibly a hawk. Could something have taken it? Yes.(We have a fenced in area that leads into the coop. The actual coop doors are ALWAYS closed. I usually close up the door from the fenced in side every night.) I can't keep my mind off of the subject, I feel very guilty. Things just seem to happen. We all forget at times. All we can do is move forward.

 

[ccrow]

Aw, sorry... yes, we all forget things; if it's any consolation at all ,I know you'll never forget that again. And it seems to be Murphy's Law as it apples to chickens- the predators never take the mean one, or the one who never lays, but always your favorite/best layer

 

[Ridgerunner]

I know it doesn’t help, but try to not beat yourself up too much about it. Almost all of us have done something similar or soon will. A lot of times there are no consequences but occasionally there are. I’m sorry you were unlucky but yes, it’s pretty certain something got the chicken.

I don’t know where you are located or how big that chicken was, but there are many critters that could do something like that. If the top of that fenced in area is open any flying or climbing predator could have done it. Many babies are being born to predators here right now so even critters that normally eat on the spot may have taken it back home.

I had an owl enter the coop and take out a chicken once when I was late locking them up, though it left the body in the run. It may have been too big for the owl to carry it off. What you describe sounds like it could have been a bobcat or fox (yes foxes can climb) but I just don’t know what it was. It could easily be something else.

 

[TimCline]

I have 12 chickens, one of which has gone missing. Every night, I usually close to chickens up... However, I forgot to last night. This morning when I went to go feed and water my little cuties, one was missing. There are feathers right outside the coop, but not blood. Could something have taken it? (We have a fenced in area that leads into the coop. The actual coop doors are ALWAYS closed. I usually close up the door from the fenced in side every night.) I can't keep my mind off of the subject, I feel very guilty.

I had a raccoon do this once. Then I poisoned him with rat poison and sardines.