I'm so let me know if I am off base. I just installed Gentoo Linux 2004.3 using the Stage3-pentium32004.3-tar.bz2. I use dhcp from my ISP. After I rebooted from the LiveCD (I used the 2004.1 liveCD), I received the message that network was not connected and that /sbin/dhcpcd was missing. After searching the forms, I got the idea of emerging dhcpcd, so I went back to the LiveCD, did the emerge and then was able to set up Gentoo 2004.3 with eth0 on dhcp. Thus, I assume the ebuild should have, but did not, install dhcpcd. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. 2. 3.
See the install documentation that tells you to install dhcpcd if you need it: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=9#doc_chap5