We have had stolen poultry before now, and we are in central Scotland.
We bought at a poultry sale 3-4 years ago, a broody hen with 5 Cayuga ducklings. The ducklings were only 2-3 days old, so there was a lot of interest in them at the sale. We took them home, I posted on here about the sale and mentioned we had bought them. We reared the ducklings.
When they were 4-5 weeks old, they were living in a secure coop and run, still with Emma the hen. They were fine at night, about 7pm, and by the next morning they were gone. No sign of feathers, no holes in the coop or run where either a fox could get in or they could get out. They weren't all gone either- Emma and one duckling remained. They weren't upset, or frightened in any way, which if it had been a fox you would have expected them to be.
The only thing we think is someone either took note of us from the sale, or from my posting on here, and stole them. The fact that only 4 went, makes us think that 2 people came in on foot, and carried one in each hand/arm.
I would remind you all- be careful how much you reveal on forums, or on the Internet.
Beth