I have had 5 hens brood this spring. Hen 1 hatched 6 of 10 eggs. I moved her to the chicken tractor with her Little's and all was well until week 3. An Opossum got in under the end of the tractor, killed 4. I moved mom and 2 chicks to the coop and they have been fine. Hen 2 hatched 7 of 10 one day before Hen 3 was due and 2 days before Hen 4 was due. They each hatched 1 or two of 10 and abandoned their nests to try to steal Hen 2's chicks. Most of their other eggs had developed chicks in them but didn't hatch due to abandonment. All three of them were put in a tightened chicken tractor and they tried to occupy one nest, killed two chicks, injured two that I moved to a heat lamp in the garage. I finally removed the two older hens and left the 7 remaining chicks with the younger hen and she did great with them. Last night, a predator (unknown) moved several multi pound size rocks from perimeter of the tractor, dug under the end past a barrier board and took 4 of the chicks. Out of 40 eggs, I have only 7 total chicks this spring. I have to do something with the hen and her 3 remaining chicks to secure them for tonight. I have another hen sitting 10 eggs now and have to figure how to make them more secure when they hatch. I'm distraught over the loss.
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