Without a trace.

[Kristen5894]

She looks exactly like the hen we lost and she was also so sweet- my heart goes out to you. Does it look like she was bitten by something? A coyote wouldn't leave her behind..could it have been a dog? Maybe it got scared off ?

 

[Micah DeRocher]

Here is my best guess as to what happened. There is a pair of Red-shouldered hawks that have a nest in our neighbor's yard. I've never had trouble from them as they are too small to prey on a chicken. They only weigh about 1.5 lbs at most. The hawk parents have a newly fledged youngster who is just now learning to hunt. I sit and watch him fly all over the place trying to catch every squirrel he sees. I'm guessing Jemimah wondered away from the flock while they were ranging in the yard and the young hawk tried to get her, not knowing he couldn't handle a 3 lbs chicken. I think she ran under the bush after the attack and succumbed to her injuries. I did find a small wound on her left side, under her wing. It was a hole about 1/8 inch in diameter. I'm guessing that plus shock plus the heat is was did it. I have had ladies out since and have watched from a distance to see if the young hawk would try again but haven't seen him.