3 chickens in 3 days

[charleyk3596]

Something I'd happening to my chickens. I have lost 1 every day for the past 3 days. It is like something has sucked it's soul out of its rear end. I am at a loss right now. They are in a brooder box, nothing has penetrated the wire, there is no lifts, tears, nothing wrong with the box at all. There is a small crack where the lid closes but the box is so big that the lid is quite heavy to lift, even for just one person. The box is also on my front porch right beside my bedroom and I hear absolutely nothing. Though the 3rd on happened in a 3hr window this afternoon when I ran to town. I don't know what to do to stop it or to fix the problem. I'll attach pictures for reference. There is no other sores or wounds on the chickens and they are all found about 6-8 inches from the side of the box. No loose feather or anything else laying around.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm thinking it's the birds. Are they ably to get somewhere cool in there? When they're too hot they start picking which can end badlly

 

[Weeg]

Could be a Coon reaching trough the wire and grabbing at the chicks. When it kills them, and can't pull them out i leaves them. Were the chickens in or outside the box when you found them? Reinforce the brooder with Hardware cloth, along with that crack. Can you get ahold of some electric poultry netting? Or electric wire, bait it in the bottom of the box. When they go to eat the bait it get zapped, make it hot. Is the chick in the second pic missing a wing?

 

[charleyk3596]

They can, the box is 8ft long. I have had the heat lamp on because a few of them that are like 1.5 weeks behind had a few bald spots on feathers and I was giving them time to catch up, but I turned the lamp off today.

 

[Weeg]

They can, the box is 8ft long. I have had the heat lamp on because a few of them that are like 1.5 weeks behind had a few bald spots on feathers and I was giving them time to catch up, but I turned the lamp off today.

How many birds in the box?

 

[charleyk3596]

Weasel or Coon I am thinking. Weasel can slip through any hole you can fit your finger through. Were the chickens in or outside the box when you found them? Reinforce the brooder with Hardware cloth, along with that crack. Can you get ahold of some electric poultry netting? Or electric wire, bait it in the bottom of the box. When they go to eat the bait it get zapped, make it hot. Is the chick in the second pic missing a leg?

All birds were found inside the box. It has literally been one chicken a day. I've never had this issue before. We've had a hawk and a skunk but those both have been handled and no longer an issue.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

nothing has penetrated the wire,

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Sorry for you loss..

Just about anything can penetrate that wire without breaking it including rat's, weasels, and raccoon are notorious for ripping heads off through chicken wire!

half inch hardware cloth has been very effective.

 

[charleyk3596]

How many birds in the box?

It's a 4ft by 8ft box that is 3ft tall, and there is 15 in there.

 

[Weeg]

All birds were found inside the box. It has literally been one chicken a day. I've never had this issue before. We've had a hawk and a skunk but those both have been handled and no longer an issue.

Yes, I changed it. if it was a Weasel it would have killed them all. More likely a coon if anything? Can you set up a live trap or a camera?

 

[charleyk3596]

Yes, I changed it. if it was a Weasel it would have killed them all. More likely a coon if anything? Can you set up a live trap or a camera?

I do have a trap, where would you suggest putting it?