ONly one chicken missing?!

[dodgewoman]

My mother was here watching our animals while we were away. Saturday morning she let the chickens out to free range and when she put them up for the night noticed that one was missing. She said she looked around the next day but saw no signs of any feathers or a dead chicken anywhere. They usually stay in at least packs of two when they wonder about. Short of someone stealing just one chicken wouldn't there be more than one missing if some predator got at them? I don't really know what I'm looking for here. I'm just distraught over loosing a chicken. We already had to give away one of our roosters b/c it was fighting with the other one and now this.

 

[steelchair]

Sorry to hear one is missing. Hopefully she shows up.

 

[dodgewoman]

thanks. I would love to think she would show back up but she's been gone two days now

 

[off-grid hen]

I have had a chicken go missing and come back, the other did not. We have birds of prey and ground predators. Good luck.

 

[dodgewoman]

I keep hoping she will come back. I keep looking outside hoping to see her milling around the run but no luck. It's been 3 days today, not such good odds at this point

 

[mstricer]

Maybe she's on a nest.

 

[dodgewoman]

Well, I'm now thinking that one of my neighbors might be stealing my chickens!! I have NO proof what so ever so I could just be loosing my mind BUT once again we were free ranging them on Saturday and once again at lock up time one was missing! just ONE and on the same day last week! Really two close to an animal. Why hasn't an animal picked them of the rest of the week?! I'm just heartbroken. It kills me to see them locked up all day but that's what they will be doing for a while until I can figure this out.....

 

[1muttsfan]

I had one hen taken by a predator, probably a fox, right at the corner of the chicken coop when I ran in the house for a minutes while a few of the girls were out. Yep, a predator can take just one. And come back every few days for another.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Its how they operate.

 

[dodgewoman]

It was exactly a week though and have been free ranging them through out that week so that's why I'm suspicious. But yes, I've been reading about just one being taken I'm keeping them locked up for now. I don't want to keep loosing one a day or week! Hopefully what ever it is will move on after a while if the chickens are not easy picking.