dog or cat attack plz help!!

[nfrost]

i have 6 week old chicks that have been free ranging for a week or 2 now and they been doing great wont get farther then 2-3 feet from the coop, well I went away to go get gas to mow in town, get back and 2 are dead had been attacked by either the cat or dog, but all others are missing no since of others dead no other feathers im assuming they got chased or scared back into the woods which is 20-30 yards from the coop, I waited till dark they didn't come back, I walked everywhere listening for them and nothing, im scared there to young to find there way back, any advice. im nervous that I let them free range to young now! there are 4ducks and 2 geese and they were unharmed in the coop still when I got back!

 

[gander007]

i have 6 week old chicks that have been free ranging for a week or 2 now and they been doing great wont get farther then 2-3 feet from the coop, well I went away to go get gas to mow in town, get back and 2 are dead had been attacked by either the cat or dog, but all others are missing no since of others dead no other feathers im assuming they got chased or scared back into the woods which is 20-30 yards from the coop, I waited till dark they didn't come back, I walked everywhere listening for them and nothing, im scared there to young to find there way back, any advice. im nervous that I let them free range to young now! there are 4ducks and 2 geese and they were unharmed in the coop still when I got back!

Ducks and Geese are harder as they tend to flock together and chicks or chickens run all over and most likely you need to lock up you chicks or chickens when you leave as a good per-caution ....

 

[ChickenPapaCT]

OMGosh! Praying for you!

I am really new to all this, but I would think that:
First order of business, secure the ducs and geese. If whatever attacked is still around, they need to be kept safe.
Second order of business, look where chickens would normally "hide." Up in trees? Under bushes? Under the deck? Under the coop?

Look anywhere that they could run nearby to get away from something or hide inside of.
Listen for peeping.
Look for feathers in the yard for a clue.

Good luck!
ChickenPapaCT

 

[Mac14]

Oh! I'm so sorry! Hope you find them!

 

[sayga]

Oh no! That's so sad. I don't think 6 weeks is too young to free range if they know where home/coop is, and if they know your voice or the sound of the food container or something else to call them towards you.

With my chickies, I only let them free-range unsupervised when they know that my "here, chick-chick-chick-chicKEN!" call means food, and they at least show themselves, if not come towards me, when I call. Every day of their lives, I call it every time I feed them, especially treats. Sometimes I call it when they're just eating happily, so they associate my call with food. Then when they are in the yard, if I can't see them, I can call and they'll at least run towards me even if they're too skittish to be caught right then.

But I was opening the dog crate and letting them roam the yard at 6 weeks old while I went to work, because I didn't want them in with my big girls yet and the crate was too small to keep them in all day. I'd call them to the crate right before I left for work, and again as soon as I got home, to make sure they were close by. We have cats that come into our yard and the very rare hawk, but no major predators. This lot of chicks have been fine in the yard, but I don't know if we got lucky or if chicks are generally ok at that age.

I don't think you did anything wrong, it's just an unfortunate circumstance. If you get more, definitely train them to come when called, so if they do end up running into the woods, you can call them back. When they're little, they don't know to come back and roost at night. Mine are 9 weeks old now and even though the other chicks and chickens get into bed every night, there are often 1 or 2 naughty chicks that roost in the rhodedendron bushes instead of going to the coop. I found 2 in the run this morning when I went to let everyone else out and I told them I knew they'd been out all night and were very naughty chicks. They are also lucky they didn't get eaten...

 

[petalumapaul]

I am so sorry. The same thing happened to me once. So sad.

I had six, three died. It took me two hours to find the missing three. They were very well hidden and quiet, scared.

My culprit was a dog we were fostering.
The dog went away the next morning.

I bought three new one month old chicks the very same day and that helped my feelings of grief.

 

[tiddlywinks]

You should try getting a rooster (if it is legal where you live) because he will protect the flock.

 

[nfrost]

It's been a day and only 1 came back, went out and bout more but idk the dog use to chase te adult chickens I kicked him good a few times he haven't done it since even lays. It them so idk if he would do it to younger chickens but it's my only guess

 

[Folly's place]

These chicks are too small and young to be out without supervision. If they had a broody mom, it would be different, but they only have you, so either they are in a predator-proof pen, or you are out there with them. Dogs, cats, all predators will take these little guys out. We all find this out the hard way, so sorry. Your dog is doing what comes naturally, and correcting him later IS NOT helpful! It might be possible to convince him to avoid the chickens, but lots of training time and no access to unprotected birds is the only way. Mary