Where did they go? UPDATE!!!!!!

[eggcited2]

I had gotten 23 new pullets last week. 3-4 months old. Tight fence, they can not get out it and nothing has gotten in. Too small for raccoon, possum or such to get through the fence. It is 48 inch with hotwire at top. No holes in fence, no holes dug under fence.


As of today, I have maybe a dozen of the pullets. Where in the world did they go? No bodies, no feathers, no body pieces have been found.


I know raccoons got 5 of my older chickens, cause we found the carcases with chest ripped off and no insides. But they were not in a small area like the pullets. They were on 2 acres and raccoons could get onto it. Have since moved them and they are now behind tight fence and in about 1/8 of an acre. Have traps set out for raccoon, possum, etc. Live traps, but we do go ahead and kill them once trapped. Live trap in case something we don't want to die gets in it.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Does your run have a secure top on it? 48" is not tall enough to keep out predators. We had a hound who could jump a four foot fence in a 'single bound'! A hawk/owl could sit on your coop , fly in and swoop out a chicken that size.. Do you have trees w/ in a few feet of your coop? If so, raccoons can jump from trees into the run, crawl up the side of the coop and jump off the roof.. Not hard for a hungry predator....and they will NOT stop now that they have found an easy meal...

 

[eggcited2]

Quote:
No top. Too big for a top. No trees anywhere close. On one side of them is our dogs, on the other is goats and my quarter horse, on the other is our house and on the other is my adult chickens.

The pullets have been staying under or inside their shelter most of the time during the day. They come out when I feed, but I set out there and watch them. Either in our backyard on the glider or on a chair actually inside the fenced area.

No loose dogs in our neighborhood.

 

[Tres Amigas]

Sounds to me like you're hosting a hawk buffet if their just gone.

Or perhaps a two-legged predator?

Unless you take steps to protect them from above as well as the sides and bottom, you're going to continue to lose chicks. Even a fairly big run can be covered with bird/deer netting, available at most any farm/garden supply, but that won't keep anything but birds out. 48 inches isn't very tall -- any respectable hungry animal could scale that. You may have to completely re-think your run. Your diner will be back.

Good luck.

Edited to remove welcome - I thought it was a first post.

 

[WillieBoy]

Gone without a trace...? Are you around 24/7...? It is possible you have a two legged predator...No signs of any birds, no signs of forced entry.It would take a hawk/owl awhile to get that many birds.How long a time frame is involved...? Did they disappear quickly...?

 

[eggcited2]

Quote:
How do you cover 1/8 of an acre? I had them in a 20x20 and they were fighting each other like crazy. One was tipped over on it's back with some others setting on top of it, just to mention only one thing.

 

[Bengalcats1]

There is a post somewhere on here of a HUGE setup and fully covered with netting, just posts and wood crisscrossed here and there, if I find it i will give you the link, its Big

 

[mjuenem]

Why aren't the chickens just flying out? Mine at that age would.

 

[eggcited2]

Quote:
They have disappeared in the past 5 days. I am at home almost 24/7. I am disabled and do not get away from home much and not for long periods of time. That is one reason why I set outside and watch the chickens when I feed them. By the time I get out all the food, I have to set down and rest before I can make it back into the house.

Our dogs bark at any and every little noise. (four dogs) The two goats holler at any noise they hear, cause they think it might be food. (yes, they are feed every day). And the male turkey hollers if a vehicle even drives into our driveway. Or if he hears any noise at all.

 

[eggcited2]

Quote:
None of mine have. Even the adult ones. Heck, I can put them behind a 24 inch high fence, and they will run up and down it, trying to find a way out.