Without a trace

[ILoveJoe]

I am new to chickens and my first chicken was a free rooster named Hoss. Hoss has been sleeping in a temporary hutch out in the fenced in yard during the day and locked in at night once he put himself back in between 7-8 pm.

My husband is out of town and he is usually the one who locks Hoss up before I come home from work. I came home this evening to find the hutch empty and no blood, just a few feathers.

I walked around outside looking with a flashlight for any traces of feathers, blood or god forbid a carcass. Nothing. Behind the soon to be chicken coop was an opposum, but no sign of Hoss.

What takes a chicken and doesn't leave a mess behind?

Is there any hope that Hoss fled the attack and is roosting somewhere and I will hear him crowing in the morning?

This is Hoss in the tub during a bad storm we had on Sunday night:

 

[JennsPeeps]

Is it possible someone stole him?

 

[Mahonri]

perhaps someone got tired of the crowing??

 

[ILoveJoe]

I would hate to think someone stole him, but then I hate to think something ate him. I guess his fate is the same no matter what took him. If only I hadn't let him out today.

I just don't know. The neighbors I have spoken to about him, said he didn't bother them. I am in the country and he isn't the only rooster in the area.

 

[ILoveJoe]

Happy Ending!!!

At 5:30 this morning I heard Hoss crowing!! I jumped up and stumbled outside in the dark yelling "HOSS"! He was up on the fence with his face in a red cedar in the corner of the yard. Not the side of the yard his hutch is on, this is the driveway and the dogs side of the yard. But Hoss is Alive.

He is back in the tub until the sun comes up, he seems fine....he is crowing right now but he does have some blood dried on his comb.

I think I love this big dumb bird!

 

[lurky]

I love happy endings

I'm glad you found hoss alive and well

 

[Ms. Lewis Rich]

Love happy endings!

What breed is Hoss?

 

[joebryant]

Great short story. Glad he's okay.
"All's well that ends well."

 

[ILoveJoe]

Ms. Lewis Rich :

Love happy endings!

What breed is Hoss?

I think the general consensus under breeds was a Faverole cross.​

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

Well, he's a handsome boy and I'm so glad to hear that he's safely home!