Nothing but Feathers

[Kimfalgoust]

Just went feed my chickens, one is missing there are feathers all in the coop and a few outside but nothing else. What would take the whole chicken ?

 

[50-45-1]

If your chicken was a adult standard breed probably Fox, coyote, Ferrell dog.

If this is a young chick or juvenile, raptors might be able to fly away with it. (Hawk, owl) And also your smaller preditors like cat, rat, weasel.

Opossum and racoon typically eat it where they kill it and dont move the carcass far in the process.

 

[Debbie292d]

Just went feed my chickens, one is missing there are feathers all in the coop and a few outside but nothing else. What would take the whole chicken ?

So sorry for your loss.

But, odd it would just take one and leave the rest alone. Just in case it wasn't a predator, the same thing happened here a few days ago an old big white hen of mine went into molt for the first time. I saw her feathers everywhere in the coop and outside and couldn't find her. She was hiding in the woods behind the coop. I do not know why.

In the case that it was a predator though, can you figure out how it got in and fix it before it comes back? It doesn't have to be that big for a fox to get through. 1/2" hardware cloth is what most of us use to cover cracks, holes, line fences, etc. as it's pretty much impenetrable by even rats.