what kind of pests?squirrels?mice?

If your single chicken is caged it may well have eaten a plate full of food. Assuming it is a normal sized plate, it is possible.

Hopefully you can keep an eye out for squirrels and take care of that problem if that is what ate your feed. Squirrels will eat chicken feed for sure.

Just a suggestion but buying a large (50lb) bag of feed for 17 seems expensive at time of purchase but you will find it pays for itself within a month of buying little 5lb bags. Hope this helps.

For your chickens sake I hope you get a least one more to keep it sane.

 

Wild birds can clean up food in a pretty short period of time, you might want to check if you have a lot of starlings or sparrows around, they tend to be bad about it. Besides squirrels, mice and rats also like to help themselves to chicken food if they can.

 

Squirrels are my biggest problem. Here's a pic of the top of the feeder I had to replace today. My Blue Heeler usually runs them off, but if I catch them first I have a Ruger 10-22 with a laser that takes care of them real quick.