Mysterious Missing chickens

[chickenpredatorkiller]

I have (had) 6 chickens, 3 Golden Comet and 3 Production reds and they are (were) almost 4 months old. I live in the woods, and this is my first time raising chickens. I build a small 6 x 4 coop and a small run that is connected to it, and it is fenced in with about 4 square inch holes, and I put a fine mesh netting over it and over the top of it and the coop. One morning I woke up and a chicken was missing. There were already a lot of feathers on the interior of the fence probably from them trying to get at a small black snake I killed (it's mouth was really small but it might of been able to eat one of them) or maybe the feathers were from a predator trying to get at them, but failing. Either way, one day I found one missing. There was no blood, no skin or meat or carcass, and pretty much no sign of a killing exept the feathers, which may or may not have been from that chicken. I have 2 cats and 2 dogs, but the dogs are fenced in and there aren't any feathers or anything in the dog fence and there is no evidence that the cats ate it either. Later I lost 2 more chickens. Somehow, the chickens are able to get out of the run, and they do when they run out of food, and so I think what might of happened is that they get out, and a predator takes it away without killing it.... Any ideas? (sorry for such a long post I just wanted to give as much info as possible)

Edit: MAN! was searching for missing chickens when I found a dead one in a dried up creek behind my house...

it's head was ripped off (and nowhere to be seen) and its side was ripped up a little but it was mostly intact. it makes me wanna cry. Any ideas as to what animal it was?

 

[BrokenRoadFarm]

Could be one of many things....by fine mesh, do you mean chicken wire or hardware cloth? Hardware cloth is best. Chicken wire keeps chickens in - it does not keep predators out. Does the run have a top on it? If not, it could be a hawk...hard to say. Sounds like prevention would be the best remedy - fix the weak areas where the chickens are getting out. Don't let them run out of food and look for a way to get out. Once you have enough posts, you could post a picture of your set up and it would help to assess what might be happening. Good luck!

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

ok, thx! ya it does have a top, but it isn't made out of hardware cloth or chickenwire. The mesh is a birdwire type material. its like netting in a cast net or the inside of a bathing suit, etc.