What kills a chicken in the daytime and leaves only feathers behind?

[princessmama]

One of our chickens didn't come to the coop with the rest this evening. After a little searching we found a small pile of feathers about twenty feet from the coop. No blood or at least very little, it was getting dark but there didn't seem to be any and def no body parts.

 

[newchickenmommy]

Hawks. They will fly off with their catch, and leave very little behind. Maybe a few feathers in the struggle.

I would be so upset. I worry about them all the time.

Sorry for your loss :-(

Sally

 

[princessmama]

I do feel sad. I expected to lose some, you know? But still. My kids are crying though-- Chicken Little was their favorite

 

[emvickrey]

We lost several to stray dogs that a lady kept taking in. She didn't contain them though and they ran loose wreaking havoc around here. I live in the country but the street I live on is lined in houses. A little community, just one street. After we threatened to make them pay for our chickens they found homes for the dogs. I guess anyway. There was a man a couple houses up from them that kept loosing his flock to the dogs also. He said he was going to start shooting if they didn't do something. Three of our 4 dogs run free but they dont bother chickens. They actually lay with them in the yard. Drink out of the same bucket.

Anyway, the dogs left a trail of feathers is how we found out who the culprits where. A hawk was about to get one of our chickens once and it scared a squirrel when it came after the hen and startled the hawk and it left empty handed.

 

[jjdward]

Sorry for your loss

FOX FOX FOX

 

[ivan3]

Fox mode of operation will often result in a few feathers and no body/blood. That said, a fox or foxes will seldom make just one chook `disappear'.

Sorry about your girl (vermin almost always seem to take `favorites').

 

[jjdward]

Quote:
You are right. I lost several this way but it was one at a time over a week or so. Maybe the fox was just casing the joint

 

[Freebird1st]

A pack of stray dogs got after three of ours recently.
Two of them found brush but a third one wasn't so lucky.

The dogs were caught in the act and run off within a minute or two but one of them apparently took his victim with him leaving only a pile of feathers.
Sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[AkTomboy]

I would think its a bird of some sort hawk, owl and so on. Sneaky buggers. I am sorry for your loss

 

[highcountrychickens]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this... I lost a few to with the same description... saved the last one by chasing her voice into the sagebrush and catching sight of a bushy red tail... He dropped her and she hid until roosting time.