Our lovely Piopí (20 week roo) vanished from his coop!!!

[Happy Camper]

Today I am Sad Sad Camper

I woke up to find out one of my two roosters vanished from the coop. In the past we had a similar situation but always knew what had happened (a couple of chickens have been killed by one of my dogs when they sneaked out if the coop)...

This time Piopí just disappeared. He was so special!!!!! I incubated his egg in a homemade incubator and my kids watched over him every day!!!

I just saw lots of his feathers in the cage they sleep in (I leave a covered comfy cage open at night for them to sleep) them is 1 olde rooster, 2 old hens and a 20 week old pullet...the pullet and Piopí were not allowed all the way in and they slept on the entrance of the cage.

I have an older rooster and I think there could have been a fight or something because there are lots of his feathers there... not at the entrance but inside the cage.

If he left the coop (which he can only do if he flies through a couple of small openings in the ceiling of the coop) and he is still alive... he should be out in the woods now... If it was not a quarrel... what was it?

We don't have many predators in PR... no hawks, no big snakes, no racoons... and it's hard for a cat to get in there since the dogs guard the coop

...

Could it be that he tried to get too close to the older rooster and he was kicked from the flock? The other rooster does not seem injured, but Piopí was very mild and mellow and I think if there was a quarrel he must have been scared to death...

Is it common for roos that abandon a coop to come back? I wish I could have microchiped Piopí ...

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Are you sure you have no predators? It sounds like there are places for a predator to get in and steal chickens. In any case, i am so very sorry for your loss.

 

[TriciaHowe]

You do have possums though and it could be very well one of these. It was not your old rooster that did this, it was something in the night. If you don't secure your pen at night it will be back and will slowly take out your flock one at a time. I am very sorry for the loss of your bird. Predators can be very sneaky getting into your pens.

 

[Mattemma]

Sorry for your loss. I like him name.

 

[Happy Camper]

We don't have possums... we have "mangostas" which are similar looking to squirrles and carry rabies... that's the only predator I could think of, but they sleep in an open cage 4 feet from the ground...

But now that you mention it... you sound pretty sure it was not the other roo... I think you are right...

I will be closing that cage at night for them to sleep predator free... I think pretty soon I will have to build a safer coop. Mine is fenced for ventilation purposes since it gets pretty hot here... but I think a walled one would be better or a fence with smaller holes.

Thanks.

PD: My boys drew this PIOPI IS MISSING flyer and put two outside

 

[Happy Camper]

Thanks Mattemma... in English roos sound "cookadoodledoo" (or something similar) .... in Spanish chicks sound "pío-pío" which sounds [peeoh-peeoh]... and roosters sound "qui-qui-ri-quí" [keeh-keeh-reeh-keeh]... so he was named Píopí [pee-oh-pee]... resembling the sound. :/

Thanks for the support

 

[tellynpeep]

I think Mangostas are a type of mongoose? Similar to weasels, they are sly efficient predators. I would seriously predator -proof the coop or you will lose more. Good luck. And I am so sorry for your loss.