No trace of her.......EAGLE??

[klf73]

I have 12 chickens that free range. 4 of them are roos. With it being so cold they come out of the coop, run about 50ft to trailer that dh dug out a spot so they can still get under. It is enclosed by snow and they like to hang out on the cold days. They tend to fight in the coop if they stay in. I went to lock up last night and I am missing a 27 wk old silver ameraucana, not laying yet. Searched forever last night, as did dh and then again this morning. Not a trace of her

. No feathers, nothing. My dad is saying hawk but I haven't seen any hanging out. I think they will have to fight it out in the coop today because I don't want to lose another, plus it's very cold....
So what do you think, probably hawk?

 

[Mahonri]

Or a coyote or a bobcat...

I'm still hoping she turns up for you.

 

[M@M@2four]

I would check every nook and cranny again as they are known to get stuck in the oddest places...my friend had one go missing for over 3 days and then just picked up an over-turned bucket and there she was. We also had one fly up in our barn and fall down into a little are between our wall and siding. We had to cut through the wall to get her out and then sealed that whole area, so it wouldn't happen again. It could be a hawk as well. Sometimes they don't leave feathers behind. I just had a hawk get one of my call ducks. I still let mine free-range as they would hate to be cooped up(no pun intended).

Anyhow, good luck in your search and I hope you find her!!! I know how upsetting that can be. We have had some go missing to find that they were starting to lay eggs and trying to nest on them in the bushes or brush.

 

[klf73]

I don't think it was a dog/coyote/bobcat because my dogs would have gone crazy because their pen is about 40 ft from the coop and the trailer is in my driveway. The only *predator* we have seen is the neighbors cat, but he usually tries sticking his paws in the banty pen for the silkies. I haven't seen him in months, not since the last time I popped him with the plastic pellets. I am just worried the poor thing will freeze to death

(if she is still there)

 

[chasep]

i dont think a hawk.
it leaves lots of feathers

 

[klf73]

does anything leave nothing??

 

[hinkjc]

Fox and coyote typically just grab em and take them with them. Usually very little struggle or signs, unless they come in a pack.

 

[MakNat]

I just had my muscovey hen snatched. I'm pretty sure it was a hawk. I want to blow them out of the sky..

 

[klf73]

Well, my oldest 3 (13, 10.5, 8) made a search party and still couldn't find any trace of her

. They were out quite a while but it's only 17* so they had to give up for now. Could a cat have taken her without a mess? She is smaller than the LF but bigger than the bantys. She wasn't very fast and couldn't defend herself because she had curled toes

. I was just curious before I go ask the neighbor if her cat brought her home.

 

[klf73]

I think the answer showed itself yesterday. There was an eagle circling my house and landed in one of our big oaks outside the house. We haven't seen any eagles in 3 years so this is probably where our girl went and why there was no trace. I figure since it is so big there really was no struggle. Thanks all who tried helping me figure it out. I don't know what I am going to do about the rest of my chickens that free range (there are only 11), we got snow before my husband got the flight pen up, so not sure what to do with them. I just can't let them out to be on the menu