Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

The other night when my husband went to close up the Ameraucanas there was only 4. My husband leaves in the morning and returns home from work when it is dark, as the daylight hours are so short. He used his flashlight to search. We have a few fenced in areas for our different breeds. He noticed in the next fenced in area a couple small spots of blood, but that was it, no sign of feathers. We're thinking that an owl picked it up and then dropped the chicken in the next fenced in area and picked it up again and took it away. What really bothers me is that I think that it was my only female (black). I have not seen any owls for about a year and I haven't seem any hawks for a few months. I've been hoping that she will just show up, but deep down I doubt it. I'm now worried if whatever it was will come back for another one. I feel sick to my stomach. My Ameraucanas will be 6 months old Dec 22 and I was so looking forward to a blue egg sometime after that.

Oh sorry, I suppose it's that time of year when food is harder to come by.

Thanks Kb! Here are some pictures of my Ameraucanas taken in October around the 18th-24th. I'm not sure if there are pictures of all the black ones.

Ah jeeze you got mostly boys, If you have a way of getting her I have a little girl here around the same age you can have. All black as well.

That would be so typical to only have one hen and that is the one something takes away. Grrrrrrr!

Lots of university students coming home for Christmas, just saying. Used to know a couple students from Thunder bay but they are finished now, lived right here in Stratford.

Thanks kenya, that is so thoughtful of you. I have good news though, my 'escape artist' was located today. The Ameraucana and a Partridge Chantecler have spent the last couple nights up in a large spruce tree. Somehow she got into the PC's side where the spruce tree grows. Just about a month ago, the Ameraucanas were moved into their own coop and fenced in area. The fence is 6 feet high. I don't know what we are going to do or can do to prevent this from happening again. I wonder if she is trying to escape all the males. When they lived in with the Marans she had escaped a few times and would be out free ranging alone. She was getting up on a barrel and then onto the greenhouse roof to get out until my husband moved the barrel. We are so happy we found her, as we just love these birds.

Yes, Skinny rooster that is exactly what I thought, why my only female, but it is so good to know she is not gone. kenya will have to keep that in mind for the future, that is good to know. I feel so relieved.

Great news your girl is home safe and sound. I heard a Barred Owl last night and this morning close to my coops. We used to free range during the day, but it got old fast to come home to no chickens and lots of feathers. So, my guys are only out when we are home. They are locked away about 4:30. They complain but I give them cracked corn and wild bird seed. Haven't lost one to owls in 2 years.

Shes probably escaping the boys, they can be down right mean.