Trying to figure out what got our chicken

[bmcghan22]

So we free range out chickens on about 8 acres of land half of it is wooded all around us. They just started laying and today we noticed one was missing so after a quick search around the yard perimeter I found a tiny pile of feathers where the yard meets the bush and about ten yards away there was a big pile of feather about 18 inch radius not really scattered out just a fluffy pile we combed the property for a few hours and could not find a single feather on any trail. There was no blood no head no big feathers just belly feathers. I been scratching my head all anfternoon and going back to the scene of the crime to try and figure out what took our chicken. I’ve been a long time outdoorsmen and have no trouble picking up blood trails or finding wounded animals. It’s almost like the chicken just got beamed up into the sky. I got lots of trail cams out and every so often we get coyotes and raccoons on camera. But I would think if a furry four legged critter got it that I would find feathers down a trail as it was being carried off. Any help or ideas would be appreciated non of the other chickens seem to be freaked out so I’m assuming it was by itself which is weird cause it was our biggest chicken and would always come to the rescue if it heard another chicken squawking. But as the night went on the other chickens just wandered around and grazed like nothing happened it wasn’t until I was putting them up for the night that they realized something was off and one was missing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'd say Coyote or Fox.
Set up your cams in the area where the bird disappeared. Whatever took this one will likely repeat a similar pattern.
And ime, if it's Coyote or Fox, you generally will only find some feathers - no blood trail, nothing like that. They take their prey somewhere else to consume it.

 

[bmcghan22]

Welcome To BYC

I'd say Coyote or Fox.
Set up your cams in the area where the bird disappeared. Whatever took this one will likely repeat a similar pattern.
And ime, if it's Coyote or Fox, you generally will only find some feathers - no blood trail, nothing like that. They take their prey somewhere else to consume it.

Thanks. It just odd we’re new to having chickens but I would have for sure thought I’d find some feathers here and there on the path that it took the chicken you know. I did have a coyote this morning on camera. He comes through the same spot about every 20 days like clock work. I’m sure he stays close even though we only see him once in a great while. And since we’ve yet to see him in the day it makes sense he would be sitting in the bushes around the perimeter often.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

Sly as a fox. I caught a fox on my security camera @:4am carrying 1 of my ducks off. Just snatched it and ran, no feathers no blood, So I started looking back. One random day I walked out the side door of my home @ 4pm, which is about 30 ft maybe from one of our coops. Saw a red bushy tail disappear in the woodline and i followed. It "barked/yelped/hissed." @ me when I got 2 close for comfort. Never saw it.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

I've been told they carry the whole bird back to the den. Not stopping until they've reached their destination. If they leave a few feathers behind its from the drag home. Haven't caught a coyote, but we have a cpl yards dogs. That do their job. Hope u catch it,

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks. It just odd we’re new to having chickens but I would have for sure thought I’d find some feathers here and there on the path that it took the chicken you know. I did have a coyote this morning on camera. He comes through the same spot about every 20 days like clock work. I’m sure he stays close even though we only see him once in a great while. And since we’ve yet to see him in the day it makes sense he would be sitting in the bushes around the perimeter often.

I've seen Coyote take a couple of my birds (on game cam) and have only found feathers where they were first snatched, none on the trails.
Coyote and Fox will both take during the day - whenever the opportunity arises, but they usually have a pattern if you watch long enough and come around about the same time each day.

Same with Racoons at night, they usually show up about the same time each night. Seems they have a route.