Whats eating my chickens?!?

[iwiw60]

Yes the top of the area is uncovered. The fence is hardware cloth.

I guess I could see a predator possibly getting over a 5 foot fence but I don't see them being able to drag a chicken back over with them. I've yet to find a body or any parts excepts some feathers.

Oh, trust me...raccoons, coyotes, foxes..they can and will put that chicken in their mouth and hop right on over!

 

[jslug54]

There was a hole but I've lost chickens since the hole was fixed. I'm confident nothing can get through there.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

As recommended above you'll want to cover the whole pen. So nothing can get over, under, or through. Some predators have tiny, grabby paws and will reach in a yank apart a chicken, some fly, some climb, some dig underneath, etc. etc.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

There was a hole but I've lost chickens since the hole was fixed. I'm confident nothing can get through there.

If you would take and post photos of your setup we can help identify any/all areas where predators can get through - it can be surprising the vulnerabilities you can miss when looking at the setup every day vs. someone with fresh eyes seeing it and noticing concerns.

 

[dekel18042]

I'm going back and forth here with different ideas. You could have different possibilities but daytime could be hawk or rapture (How big are your chickens? ) Usually with a hawk attack you'll get an explosion of feathers on the ground if nothing else. Sounds like that could be one of your predators. With a total disappearance, no bodies, few feathers, probably something that could carry it away like a fox.
Do you have bobcats or loose running dogs in your area? (But I doubt that isn't what went under your fence. That sounds more like fox.
But a bobcat or some dogs could leap the fence, and a fox could climb it or dig under.

 

[Lollie508]

Did you ever find out what was eating your chickens?

 

[jslug54]

No I never did. I've gotten goats to help to deter any day time predators.

 

[chickenlover498]

i think whats eating your chickens is a hawk. the hawks are always getting my chickens so they might be eating yours if it is a hawk i suggjest you get a decoy owl and put it on the top of your coop