What killed my chicken?

[jennybunnyatx]

This morning, I went out to let my girls out of the coop and came up 1 short. I haven't found blood, a body, or a hole in the coop. The only evidence was a trail of feathers leading from the coop out into the yard, where it just ends with no further evidence. There's also a fence separating the chicken yard from the main yard; whatever it was squeezed around the edge of it based on the feather trail.

I was home and my room is facing the chicken yard but didn't hear any commotion or ruckus like I have in past predator attacks. I've had raccoon issues previously, but this seems too clean to be their doing. Any ideas on what could have done this? I'm located in Austin, Texas so not super rural.

 

[Latestarter]

Without other evidence like tracks, it's hard to say. Sorry you lost a bird. Time to make some fencing adjustments...

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

Raccoons tend to kill and eat out the chest on the spot in my experience.
Opossums are quite like raccoons in this respect.
Skunks will bite off the head as will weasles.
foxes do carry off their prey so this might be a suspect. They can squeeze through some incredibly small spaces too.
With out more information, tracks, bits of fur hanging on fencing, it is hard to say.
Terribly sorry for your loss, it can be rather traumatic I know.

 

[dalasgalas]

I'm in Austin, depends on where you are. I'm central and we have a neighborhood coyote that spirited away Whiskers the tuxedo cat. We also have a neighborhood opossum who has been attacking chickens in the neighborhood. We also have hawks and turkey vultures who will whisk away a small chi or a bantam chicken.

the Next Door ap has predator alerts.

 

[roosterhavoc]

This morning, I went out to let my girls out of the coop and came up 1 short. I haven't found blood, a body, or a hole in the coop. The only evidence was a trail of feathers leading from the coop out into the yard, where it just ends with no further evidence. There's also a fence separating the chicken yard from the main yard; whatever it was squeezed around the edge of it based on the feather trail.

I was home and my room is facing the chicken yard but didn't hear any commotion or ruckus like I have in past predator attacks. I've had raccoon issues previously, but this seems too clean to be their doing. Any ideas on what could have done this? I'm located in Austin, Texas so not super rural.

Either a fox, coyote or bobcat.

 

[dalasgalas]

Either a fox, coyote or bobcat.

My bet is the neighborhood coyote.

 

[MissChick@dee]

So sorry for your loss,truly.
If I had to guess fox smaller than coyotes. Do you have your run covered?

 

[dalasgalas]

So sorry for your loss,truly.
If I had to guess fox smaller than coyotes. Do you have your run covered?

OH yeah right. Those are in central Austin too! Sneaky bastards!