Donnie Is Gone

Yesterday around 10:30...that's when I saw him last. There was some major commotion around 1:30. I didn't see anything...but my dog was agitated by something. We looked and all mothers and babies were accounted for. I didn't think to look for Donnie because he has been active and goes everywhere. Well, last night before I closed the chicken coop, I went for a walk with my dog. I found two beautiful tail feathers(a matching set) down by the lower trees. It didn't take long...about 20 yards away, some more feathers...he never came in to roost.
My hunch is he jumped in front of a coyote in attempt to save mother/babies. This is instinctual...the coyotes know this. That's why they always run straight towards the babies. Here are the last pictures of him about 3 hours before he died (you can see some mothers and babies)...Heartbreak is ongoing: