Is it possible my chicken escaped after being taken by a fox?
Earlier today I got home at 2 and one of the hens was missing. I found a pile and a trail of feathers leading into the lower yard and swap. My mom and I searched roughly 3 times down there. We found the trail ended with a large pile of feathers. It wasn't to far from the house really but there was lots of foliage like skunk cabbage all over. From what we found if she is alive she is missing few tail feathers and not missing any wing feathers also we saw no sign of blood or chucks of skin. She's around a year old, can fly, is quick and is a blond gold color, good for blending in with fallen leaves. Although it's been raining all day, not down pouring but a consistent fall of rain, not drizzling.
We had a slightly similar thing happened with our current rooster who disappeared for half a day and returned the next morning. We are not sure if he was taken and that's why we couldn't find him but he did come back.
Tomorrow we plan to search some more and call for her more, hopefully even if we don't find her she'll come back on her own, but that's just wishfull thinking on my part. Also that patch of woods isn't much between our house and our neighbors and there yard is fenced off.
Is it possible she fright moltted and is hiding in the woods now? Does she have a chance of surviving? Anything?
Posted May 24, 2026, 2:56 AM UTC