Chicks vanished

[MandyMusshafen]

I live in Oklahoma, way out in the country. We had SEVEN of our eleven 2.5 week old chicks disappear without a trace from a completely enclosed run today. There is no trace of anything, and no obvious entry/exit point. The only opening is a thin gap where the door opens and closes. They were in the run with a mama Silkie hen, my very protective bantam cochin roo, 3 BC hens, and a 3 month old BC cockerel that the silkie hatched in Jan. (He refuses to leave the nest and he surprisingly helps with the babies...even helps sit on them...you can see him in the pic) None of the adult birds show any signs of injury.
What the heck could have got the babies (ALL 7 OF THEM) in one day??? I would almost think it was a person but we have cameras and would have seen someone entering or leaving the property!
This is a pic I took 3 days ago of them! Now there re only 5 left!

 

[Acre4Me]

I’m sorry for your loss. The area where the gate opens is quite large…for small chicks. I zip tie the stiffer plastic garden fencing (2’ tall roll) on the hinge side while the gate is open. And I extend it past the opening side to cover that gap. Since it’s stiff it will hold up.

 

[MandyMusshafen]

I’m sorry for your loss. The area where the gate opens is quite large…for small chicks. I zip tie the stiffer plastic garden fencing (2’ tall roll) on the hinge side while the gate is open. And I extend it past the opening side to cover that gap. Since it’s stiff it will hold up.

Thank you!
The door isn't in the picture. I took the picture through the wire from above. The gap in the door is less than an inch...maybe enough to fit my thumb through, and we cover the bottom foot or so with bricks bc I was worried the chicks would stick their little heads through and get hurt on the hardware cloth.
I like the plastic fence idea though! It would save me from having to move the bricks all the time!

 

[MandyMusshafen]

Also...we moved Dottie and her remaining babies to a smaller more secure coop with a little built in run. I hate to take them from the flock bc they all get along so well, but I don't want to lose anymore babies!

 

[Nym]

Also...we moved Dottie and her remaining babies to a smaller more secure coop with a little built in run. I hate to take them from the flock bc they all get along so well, but I don't want to lose anymore babies!

Maybe a camera setup might help? You never know what is lurking around waiting for a small chick.

 

[MandyMusshafen]

Maybe a camera setup might help? You never know what is lurking around waiting for a small chick.

We set one up that night, and haven't seen a trace of anything! It's so bizarre!

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

Snake? Happened to me a few years ago

 

[TOR]

weasel maybe, I had one last year stealing chicks. Weasel can get thru very small hole. Weasel will take food back to its burrough and stock for later.
Can not see your coop, it does have a top so nothing can climb in?
Any holes in the ground around coop or inside, old or new rat burroughs?

 

[mcdze]

i would guess snake, if its hanging around itl be back ..if your egg count has been low its probably eating those to ... but ive seen other scenarios in my time, youd be surprised how tenacious even a housecat is, itl just hang there and snatch them as they go by if it can get a paw under there, so will alot of other predators ... i adopted one all encompassing rule - if its hanging around the coop its up to no good and getting blasted, end of story ..

 

[MandyMusshafen]

weasel maybe, I had one last year stealing chicks. Weasel can get thru very small hole. Weasel will take food back to its burrough and stock for later.
Can not see your coop, it does have a top so nothing can climb in?
Any holes in the ground around coop or inside, old or new rat burroughs?

Nothing! No holes or burrows or gaps at all! I also went through and reinforced everything before I put the chicks in. The only spot is where the door opens and that gap is smaller than my thumb!
And it has a wired roof with tarps over the wire!
I've never seen weasels out here, but it's possible. I'll have to look it up and see if they are in our area. It would have had to make several trips.