Disappearing chicks?

[ChickenCanoe]

I've never heard of cats protecting baby chicks.

 

[fobesy]

Don't ask.... My dog's a wimp and I have a Manx cat which is called a dog cat...........close enough! And I lost more chicks! over half my flock is dead! I use to have 15 now I'm down to 5!

 

[JanetS]

If you don't make some big changes you're going to lose all of them. Can you post a picture of their cage/coop?
This would help those giving you some advice.

 

[story of 5]

Hello . I'm unsure about how to do all of this chatting stuff but what I'm really insure about is the noises I heard going on around the coop last nite! Does any one know what makes a purring noice at night? I know for a fact that there was a opposom on my back porch last nite but I don't think the opposum made this noise. The only thing I can think of is that there was a coon visiting last night or the opposom decided it would try to get a chicken dinner and that the chickens were communicating to each other. Needless to say. I got lots ofcrap stacked near the coop to give potential predators a hard time and all 5 of my barred rocks are fine. Anyone have any idea what that purring noise was though. It was very loud.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Cat possibly?
Raccoons make an incredible variety of sounds.

 

[centrarchid]

Hello . I'm unsure about how to do all of this chatting stuff but what I'm really insure about is the noises I heard going on around the coop last nite! Does any one know what makes a purring noice at night? I know for a fact that there was a opposom on my back porch last nite but I don't think the opposum made this noise. The only thing I can think of is that there was a coon visiting last night or the opposom decided it would try to get a chicken dinner and that the chickens were communicating to each other. Needless to say. I got lots ofcrap stacked near the coop to give potential predators a hard time and all 5 of my barred rocks are fine. Anyone have any idea what that purring noise was though. It was very loud.

Raccoons, juveniles mostly, make a trilling to almost purring sound that serves as a contact call. It is often followed by nuh-nuh when animal distressed. Pitch and volume of trilling can indicate emotional state of maker. Soft and low pitch indicate happy.

 

[Reurra]

I put my chicks in a large dog crate to see how they did. In 5 minutes they had slipped between the bars and were out. They are skinnier than they look under those feathers. Dont trust the size of your mesh unless its under an inch.

A raccoon will reach in, grab a chunk of feathers and skin and pull it out. If the bars are big enough he can take the whole bird.

 

[story of 5]

Yeah a racoon sounds to be about right. Tonight I'm going to have a surprise for the little critter. That oppossom will be next. Its bout time they find a home in another part of the woods. My uncle is two houses down from me and started with 14 chicks a few weeks ago. Now he,s down to nine. I started with the same five in march and have every intention of keeping these 5. I consider these my chicken teachers, so they'll be round a long time I hope.

 

[fobesy]

If you don't make some big changes you're going to lose all of them. Can you post a picture of their cage/coop?
This would help those giving you some advice.

Sorry my kindle doesn't have a camera on it and I can't upload photos on it.... But I'm working on building a new coop. I feel guilty that most of my chicks are dead :/