Two chickens lost at once

[pmacg]

Hi All,

I went out to close up our four chickens tonight and found only two left. It was raining lightly and cloudy but still light out. Both chickens were seen just an hour earlier. There was no trace of either of them having been taken.

Anyone got any ideas on what sort of predator could have done this?
We have our windows open as it is nice here today but no-one heard anything

Thanks,
Paul

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Coyote or Fox.

 

[Mvan42]

Location will help

 

[pmacg]

Thanks for the replies.
We are in Central Virginia.
Just took a walk around outside and found one roosting on the Heat Pump! (Luckily it has not been turning on)
So it seems she scattered when one was taken and would not come out when we searched earlier. Glad to have her back!

 

[pmacg]

Some more thing to consider - the yard is fenced in and surrounded by woods

 

[pennyJo1960]

Do you have the coop covered with hardware cloth?

 

[pmacg]

Yes, hardware cloth around the run and a very solid coop. However the yard (where she was taken) is fenced in with a mix of Omlet fencing, chicken wire, but mostly galvanized rolls of 4 inch by 2 inch grid (the kind you get at Lowes or Home Depot).

It's not as much of a mystery now (we have lost birds before despite our best efforts) as there was just one taken and not two at once as we initially thought - i'll update the title on this thread now.

Thanks for all the responses friends!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I'm glad you found one of them at least

 

[pennyJo1960]

Well loosing one is never good I am sorry it happened

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera, put it up. Most likely the predator is still around and very likely to show up again and then you will know what you're dealing with. My suspicions is either a coyote, fox or bird of prey.