What could have killed my chickens?

[Nops1]

Hi so I’m not new to raising chickens. I’ve “raised” them when I was 5-9 and got some chicks at Tractor Supply Co last spring. I got Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. They are all hens. But 2 days ago I went to go let them out of their run to free range and saw I only had 2 of my hens, both the Rhode Islands. I walked further into the coop and in the corner was one of my Orpingtons dead. Only her back feathers had been pulled/plucked off. No blood, no bite marks, no nothing, just back feathers gone and dead. I looked all over for my other Orpington but she is gone without a trace. No blood, no feathers, no nothing one again. Could it have been a person? Our door doesn’t have a lock and there is wood as flooring. Now I live in Delaware so we don’t have large prey or much prey to begin with. We have foxes, opossums, raccoons, and turkey vultures. But we have a roof over our run and coop so they weren’t taken. Anyone ever have something similar happen? My Rhode Islands don’t want to be in the coop anymore which worries me because I don’t know where else they would be safe and warm.

EDIT: I reread what I wrote and I meant the door is closed with a latch but it doesn’t have a lock or anything.

Possums are the culprits.

Hi so I’m not new to raising chickens. I’ve “raised” them when I was 5-9 and got some chicks at Tractor Supply Co last spring. I got Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. They are all hens. But 2 days ago I went to go let them out of their run to free range and saw I only had 2 of my hens, both the Rhode Islands. I walked further into the coop and in the corner was one of my Orpingtons dead. Only her back feathers had been pulled/plucked off. No blood, no bite marks, no nothing, just back feathers gone and dead. I looked all over for my other Orpington but she is gone without a trace. No blood, no feathers, no nothing one again. Could it have been a person? Our door doesn’t have a lock and there is wood as flooring. Now I live in Delaware so we don’t have large prey or much prey to begin with. We have foxes, opossums, raccoons, and turkey vultures. But we have a roof over our run and coop so they weren’t taken. Anyone ever have something similar happen? My Rhode Islands don’t want to be in the coop anymore which worries me because I don’t know where else they would be safe and warm.

EDIT: I reread what I wrote and I meant the door is closed with a latch but it doesn’t have a lock or anything.

Possums are the Culprits.
I don't know why, but there seems to be a never ending supply of those things around here! I've exterminated more than 150 in the last Two Years.They will do just what you described.

 

[schmedlap]

Thank you and there was no clucking at night. I go to sleep REALLY late (3Am) and my parents woke up at 3 and heard nothing. I looked around the whole street. There was only one bird in my run with no bite marks or eaten at all. Thanks for your advice though! I kept them in the garage for now.

since you got them out of the coop, clean it out thoroughly. look for any small holes. you'd be amazed how a big critter can get thru a small hole. look close for claw or chew marks. remain vigilant.

 

[UluLaté]

Hi so I’m not new to raising chickens. I’ve “raised” them when I was 5-9 and got some chicks at Tractor Supply Co last spring. I got Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. They are all hens. But 2 days ago I went to go let them out of their run to free range and saw I only had 2 of my hens, both the Rhode Islands. I walked further into the coop and in the corner was one of my Orpingtons dead. Only her back feathers had been pulled/plucked off. No blood, no bite marks, no nothing, just back feathers gone and dead. I looked all over for my other Orpington but she is gone without a trace. No blood, no feathers, no nothing one again. Could it have been a person? Our door doesn’t have a lock and there is wood as flooring. Now I live in Delaware so we don’t have large prey or much prey to begin with. We have foxes, opossums, raccoons, and turkey vultures. But we have a roof over our run and coop so they weren’t taken. Anyone ever have something similar happen? My Rhode Islands don’t want to be in the coop anymore which worries me because I don’t know where else they would be safe and warm.

EDIT: I reread what I wrote and I meant the door is closed with a latch but it doesn’t have a lock or anything.

Crows....ravens....dogs....cats...RACOONS! But they are nocturnal turds. Skunks! Also nocturnal. I’ve seen foxes and bobcats in the daytime. Some will reach under or sneak in and out...they are tricky!!!! Truly vexing!

CROWS! Brutal!

 

[UluLaté]

Raccoons are a lot like humans. They can work latches and find clever ways to get into a structure. It will be back. Be prepared.

We had one of those lick spigots for our dogs on an outside faucet on the wall our bed sat against. Every night the racoons would come by and hit the damn thing. We ran out, yelled and screamed and threw lawn furniture at them. They hissed back and kept on imbibing. This went on for DAYS! Every night they woke us up and grew more brazen. Finally, we gave in and removed the lick spigot and just turned the water faucet off. That night we were awakened by the regular “tap, tap, tap”. and to the racoons surprise. No water! HA! My husband and I giggled and patted ourselves on the back. I think we even taunted them through the wall....”Ha! No water, hey pal? Ha!ha!ha! The bar is closed! You’re 86ed buddy!”. And we giglled
again. Then we hear the most terrifying sound! Squeak, squeak, squeak...followed
by gushing water. We lost our minds. the turds had TURNED ON THE WATER FAUCET! Needless to say we chased them off and then capped the faucet the next day. But WOW! They are really clever little critters.

The only way to keep racoons away is to have dogs near where you don’t want them. As soon as dogs are gone, racoons come back....

 

[Nops1]

since you got them out of the coop, clean it out thoroughly. look for any small holes. you'd be amazed how a big critter can get thru a small hole. look close for claw or chew marks. remain vigilant.

I use " Box Traps."
Outside of the pen.
But I've also been alerted at night.
Coyotes are big threat too. But in the daylight!

 

[bpoage]

Hi so I’m not new to raising chickens. I’ve “raised” them when I was 5-9 and got some chicks at Tractor Supply Co last spring. I got Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds. They are all hens. But 2 days ago I went to go let them out of their run to free range and saw I only had 2 of my hens, both the Rhode Islands. I walked further into the coop and in the corner was one of my Orpingtons dead. Only her back feathers had been pulled/plucked off. No blood, no bite marks, no nothing, just back feathers gone and dead. I looked all over for my other Orpington but she is gone without a trace. No blood, no feathers, no nothing one again. Could it have been a person? Our door doesn’t have a lock and there is wood as flooring. Now I live in Delaware so we don’t have large prey or much prey to begin with. We have foxes, opossums, raccoons, and turkey vultures. But we have a roof over our run and coop so they weren’t taken. Anyone ever have something similar happen? My Rhode Islands don’t want to be in the coop anymore which worries me because I don’t know where else they would be safe and warm.

EDIT: I reread what I wrote and I meant the door is closed with a latch but it doesn’t have a lock or anything.

I had chickens about 10 years ago and something opened the chicken house door and got all of my chickens. I just got 5 more and live in a different State now . My new chicken house has a lock but is really hard to get locked . It has a handle that closes tight . So far I have not had any problems . I wanted to let my chickens free roam in the day but we have a lot of hawks up here and cannot do that .

 

[8CityChicks]

Likely a possum. I had one pulling the vent feathers from one of my birds on the roost, but heard her carrying on & went out & dispatched the problem. It was a baby possum who got through 2x4-inch hog wire (believe me it happened) . The bird was saved & is now in her retirement years. On the chance it was a raccoon, put more than one latch of different types on your run / house doors. That confuses them where with one they learn very quickly how to open it. I have 3 different latches on each on my run & house doors -so far no entries after 6 years

 

[K_EP-I]

Sorry that I haven’t replied to anyone. I have been at college this week and come back for the weekends. I am for sure putting my time and energy into fixing up the coop and keeping my girls safe. So far they have stayed in the coop with some quick adjustments and nothing has happened to them. I plan on building a better coop and fixing their run since I really loved raising and caring for my girls. Today hopefully I will fix their run even more.

 

[Lori J]

The door was closed in the morning though? I don’t think they would remember to lock it back up? There is also a small patch of “mud” since it rained and no foot prints.

That’s very strange! Maybe there’s a hole somewhere we are a rat or racoon or something is getting in

 

[K_EP-I]

That’s very strange! Maybe there’s a hole somewhere we are a rat or racoon or something is getting in

Yeah. I went to investigate today and fix up their run and look for holes and low and behold they were behind the coop. Somehow the wood curved leaving a opening and a tiny hole near the other end of the run. There was also more feathers behind the run so yeah.