Tonight after I went out to put the chickens to bed, the leghorns were roosting as high as they could get. After doing a head count I realized I was short 5 chickens
.....ran out to take a look and sure enough feathers everywhere and one dead hen. No blood or visable trauma, just ruffled arould the neck, and maybe grabbed on the back. DH is insisting it was a dog, but no dogs in the area for miles, our dog dosn't mind the chickens and her run didn't reach the crime scene. No sign of the missing chickens, although there were a trail of feathers leading to the corn field. We have 2 acres surrounded by corn and it is over 8 ft high already. Later when it was getting dark my daughter spotted a young racoon way up in a tree. Would a racoon just break a neck and leave the chicken dead? And no sign of the other 4. I'm so worried and sad that this day has come. They loved to free range, but I don't know if it's worth it. Poor chickens, they looked so scared
. I'm wondering if it could have been a fox or coyote? The strange thing is someone had been in the yard all day and I almost feel like it was watching to make it's move when no one was outside.....


