Raptor attack? not much left

[DIMBY]

Left for two hours, chickens free ranging, hubby home. Get back, one is missing, Spot, a very small 'mutt' - hubby has not heard a thing, no panicky chicken sounds, no dogs barking or fighting, or anything...check about, no blood no feathers! But...find one leg, a gizzard and part of a gut. That's it. Dogs are clueless, no blood on them either, other chickens are ok, not freaked out. So...would a raptor leave bits and pieces? Another clue, bit and pieces were found under a large tree. I'm thinkin....raptor gets chicken, flys to branch, proceeds to kill and pick apart a bit, then flies off. Does this sound characteristic of a hawk, eagle, owl attack?

 

[newchickengirl]

Birds of prey generally pick feathers on site unless the prey is small enough for them to carry....I dont know what this is for Ive only had hawk problems. Sorry for your lost and hope you can catch the culprit.

 

[DIMBY]

she was a small chicken, perhaps four pounds at most. Best egg layer, tho.

 

[newchickengirl]

Are your dogs out with them all day?

 

[DIMBY]

Yes. This winter, the chickens free range about 5-6 hours a day, depending on sunshine and the weather of course. No problems with dogs, and today there was no blood ANYWHERE, nor feathers. I have an 8 foot high chain link fence around all of the back yard and the hen houses, coops are within the fence.

 

[DIMBY]

And, thought I'd mention again, there are absolutely NO feathers anywhere, in the yard or around it. This is why I think the hawk took off with it.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

This is why I think the hawk took off with it.

A hawk would have plucked it before eating, so it wouldnt have left a leg and other parts without leaving feathers too​

 

[tonini3059]

I would agree with the others, with any hawk depredation I suffered the chicken is usaully left on the ground, plucked and consumed. It would be very taxing for a hawk to carr even a small chicken so if it was not or did not feel threatened I think it would have just stayed put and enjoyed its meal. At the very least I think you would have found some feathers at the "impact" site.

 

[gsim]

Owl? They might eat in daytime if it was right in front of where they had decided to roost for that day. My neighbor saw a full-grown hen of around 6 pounds carried off by a hawk . It was her chicken. Snatched it on the fly with lots of momentum.

 

[DIMBY]

I'm wondering about an owl, too. Because of the dogs, it might have been intimidating for a hawk to just sit down in the yard and enjoy its meal. The complete lack of feathers and blood is very mysterious.