Backyard Fowl Keepers

Ive been raising chickens for a while, but something strange just happened.

Last Saturday night, several of my chickens disappeared between 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. There were no feathers, no blood, and no signs of an attack. I searched everywhere but found nothing. Then, today (Wednesday), one chicken suddenly showed up again.

A friend thinks coyotes might be responsible, but would they really take multiple chickens at once without leaving any signs? And where was this one chicken for three days?

Im heartbroken and confused. Has anyone had this happen before? Any ideas on what could have taken them? Id really appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

If you live near water, a mink or weasel might be the culprit. They are known to wipe out an entire flock overnight. Check for any small entry points.

Have you considered raccoons? They can take multiple birds in one night. Sometimes they drag them away without a trace. Any footprints around?

Do you free-range your chickens? If so, they might have wandered off and gotten lost. The one that returned could have been hiding somewhere nearby.

Have you looked around at dawn? Sometimes predators will return to the scene. Setting up a trap or using motion-activated lights might prevent future attacks.

You might want to check with animal control or local wildlife agencies. They may have reports of recent predator activity in your area.

The fact that one came back is strange. Was it injured or acting different? It might have clues about what happened to the others.

This happened to my flock once, and it turned out to be a neighbor's dog. Any chance a loose dog or even a pack of feral dogs could be responsible?

Could they have been scared away by something? Loud noises or a sudden disturbance might have caused them to scatter. Maybe the missing ones are hiding?

Sounds like a predator attack, but the lack of feathers or blood is strange. Have you checked for any holes in your coop or fencing?