Missing Hens... (RIP...)

[licatafamily]

Hello neighbors,

As diligent as we were about being adoptive parents for the layers at Julie's and Matt's, I fear all three have gone missing sometime in the last two days.  We've been keeping 'em locked up at night but it looks like whatever got them climbed into the pen (over the chickenwire) and pulled them out (but no signs of break in in the coop). More than usual number of feathers in the yard but no other signs they were killed... Anyone see anything fishy recently?  Not that there is anything we can do about it but it would be nice to know if anyone has some East Main Street intel for the sake of closure.   

RIP Dogeball, Ms Cluckington and Brownie. 

In an unrelated story, anyone want to buy ~3/4 bag worth of organic layer food?  

-Krista 

Oooh. So very sorry to hear that! How are Julian and Octavia doing with this?
Shocking. Hard to figure how whatever animal it was got past the electric fence. Not to cast aspersions, but foxes are amazingly clever, and good diggers. Raccoons are also very clever and are good climbers. Bears would have made a mess. Hawk/owl would have left lots of feathers, I imagine. Weasel? But these are things that you already know I'm sure. There was skunk around two nights ago. The tough part of being a chicken is that everyone sees you as food.
Much love to you all, and especially to J and O.

Thanks Tim, 

There is a fairly sudden addition of children chicken art about the house in response to recent events.  The kids are certainly missing them, but good life experience.  Best guess is fox that jumped the fense given lack of anything left behind. I think it probably happened during the day because it was clear nothing had gotten into the coop (food and water all in place, eggs still there) and those hens consistently went back into the coop at the end of the day on their own as the sun started setting. 

Alas. We'll miss the eggs and the fun of feeding them yard flowers. 
Krista