Chicken Question

John in MD · Mar 10, 2016

Yesterday morning I let 25 laying hens out of chicken house. Around 1:00 I turned them out of yard to graze around barns. Closed them in chicken house around 9:30 last night. This morning around 7:00 I let the hens out and counted as they came out (like I usually do)and I only have 13 left.
Looked in buildings and around and can't find them roosting anywhere, no signs of predation, no feathers or signs of a struggle. Anybody just have 12 hens walk off? Any ideas? Yes 12 gauge is loaded by the door.

Dick2 · Mar 10, 2016

Reminds me when I was a kid. There was a Watkins Products salesman that came around to the farm (when he wasn't in jail for stealing). Us kids were told to keep a close watch on him if he came to our farm. Seems that he was very adept at stealing chickens. If nobody was at home, he'd steal as many chickens are his old vehicle would hold. Guess he just liked chickens - or maybe pigs and cows were too big to steal?

Hope you find the chicken thief - just remember that they don't all have 4 feet!

roy prins · Mar 10, 2016

Ask your dog what that big grin on his face is about --- something might have herded them somewhere you havent looked yet --OH -if ya got time keep that peashooter handy - good hunting --

Dave H (MI) · Mar 10, 2016

If they are trained to their building then that would be very unusual. If you let them out without taking a good amount of time to acclimate them to their surroundings, they may have roosted anyplace. Chickens are not quiet birds. If they got trapped in someplace or were being rounded up or killed 13 at a time, you would hear something if you were around. Do you own the property around your place? Walking ever larger circles will find something eventually. With that many gone and no sign, almost have to have ranged too far and gone to roost in the open. Make another search but, next time, count them at night.

cjunrau · Mar 10, 2016

I had a lot more than that walk off. First time I noticed and started keeping a daily count , it was a coon carrying them off over 1/2 a mile from my house. No signs of anything till I set up traps and caught him. Second time it was a fox , she had a den 300 yard from my house over N alfalfa feild. I got her and all her pups with furadan in an egg.

fixerupper · Mar 10, 2016

I lean toward the predator theory. When we used to have wild animal predator problems with chickens it was right after the onset of darkness in the evening, though a dozen chickens disappearing without a trace does seem like a bit much. If it was predators they would have not given up quietly like Dave H said.

casecollectorsc · Mar 10, 2016

A few years back a fella that worked for the Elevator delivering feed got caught stealing newborn dairy calves and putting them in his truck. Take them home at noon break and be ready to get more in the afternoon.

john in la · Mar 10, 2016

I vote for they are in a neighbors tree.
Losing one or two to predators per day is one thing but losing 12 in one day is another.
A coon or fox may take 1 per day but it is not going to take more than it can eat that day.
If a neighbors dog was killing them for the fun of the chase there would be signs everywhere of this.

jim buford · Mar 10, 2016

How tight is your coop? A few years ago I lost 10 from a small coop overnite and so sign of struggle but found the coons had taken them to a small shed and left the remains there. But they won't kill that many at one time unless there is pretty easy access to and from the coop in my opinion.

DoubleR · Mar 10, 2016

I'm hoping for your sake they just holed up somewhere in another building or something not being similar with there surroundings.

I would think if a predator got them there would be some sign of it. Maybe somebody walked off with them. They get 10 bucks a piece from the hatchery for a mature laying hen.

I'm tempted at times to let mine out sometimes but I keep them in the barn and in a small attached outside pen to the side of the barn. I don't want go through what you are dealing with now.

Lets us know what you find out. Hopefully it has a good ending.

rrlund · Mar 10, 2016

Why did 12 chickens cross the road?

tracto-man · Mar 10, 2016

We've had lots of hens and eggs vanish. usually we'll find a big stash of eggs at some point or find a popular tree or shed. Or the neighbors chickens took some over to their hen house. Once I couldn't find one for 2 days. Finally one morning I heard a screech and a hen was lodged under a yard wagon. it walked kinda funny for a while.

PaGlenn · Mar 10, 2016

Reminds me of H.G Wells book 'Animal Farm'.

John in MD · Mar 10, 2016

I got this batch in Sept, and let them out in the afternoon when I'm around. They've always been good about returning. Nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away, I suspect their two pointers, but can't prove it, found feathers in woods by their house. Real friendly dogs came out to see me when I was looking this morning. I knocked on door and p o'ed the daughter who was in bed. She assured me their dogs wouldn't do anything like that and when her brother and father get home tomorrow she will have them call me.
I'm guessing dogs went in chicken house and took them off of roost and kept coming back until I went out and closed them in for the night. I cant prove anything so I'm not letting them out to graze. But I'm going to close them in the henhouse early and then open the pen for the evening, probably going to sit out until it's to dark to see anymore, just to see if anything comes in tonight.

tracto-man · Mar 10, 2016

We've had a couple dog attacks while the chickens were out now that I think of it. If the chickens got chased by the dog they would stay in one place perfectly silent until we found them. Not many feathers, just find them crammed in places like in between boards, benches and walls, various tight places that the dogs couldn't get them. One rooster literally stayed in between the garage wall and a workbench for 2 days. None of us were about to try to grab him as he would chase you as soon as he got the chance.

old · Mar 10, 2016

Many animals like a coyote will not leave much if anything behind when they take a chicken it is hit and run the the hen does not know what happened till it is all over. That is why my chicken have a pen they stay in and even then I have lost a few over the year sot coons etc

Moonlite37 · Mar 10, 2016

They heard because the owner was looking for a bricklayer

JerryS · Mar 10, 2016

To show armadillos and possums that it could be done.

dhermesc · Mar 10, 2016

$10 from a hatchery? Where did you hear that? The hatcheries I know of the last thing they want anywhere near their buildings is a strange chicken - much less introduce it to their herd. They are just like the hog farms - signs at the gate barring entry by anyone.

2x4 · Mar 11, 2016

as in the Clint Eastwood movie "Honky Tonk Man'; shows you how a pro does it.

Jimmydog · Mar 13, 2016

Never had twelve go walk about on me, but have lost my entire laying flock (thirteen hens) in one night by the one critter you absolutely never ever want to get in with your chickens. A mink! Those guys kill for the fun of it. Wiped out thirteen birds housed in a 15' x 30' pen. Pen is made of 2" square chain link with 1'" chicken wire around the bottom two feet. I'm walking out in the morning with a pail of layer mash and see the mink sitting there happily gnawing away at a carcass. I sure do wish I had the blunderbuss with me as he didn't notice my presence right away. Mink tend to go for the neck back of the head area and then on to the next bird. Raccoons (Procyon lotor, Latin for the wandering beast/monster) tend to maul the birds all over, and generally stop after killing one or two and start to feed on them. If you find birds with their heads neatly missing most likely a bird of prey. JD

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