I'm sure not having good luck with my Ameraucanas .
I bought 3 pullets and a splash cockeral Sunday that were a little older to replace the 4 I lost last week . One was already wing clipped as it had tried to escape from its breeder , so I clipped the others and turned them in my big pen Sunday . Since the strangers weren't welcome in the coop , I built a temporary shelter of a wooden box tipped on its side with a piece of plywood as a lean-to off of it . The four newbies immediately moved in and by yesterday were foraging within a few feet of the others , but returned to the box for shelter when it rained . This morning the box was empty , one blue pullet was in the coop but still not well tolerated , and I'm missing a black pullet , a blue pullet , and the splash cockeral . No sign of them dead or alive , except one little clump of splash feathers with skin attached just outside of the pen in the area where the other little splash was last seen last week . I'm certain nothing has dug under but adding a bottom hotwire tomorrow , and already have one a few inches from the top on the outside to keep predators out . I doubt that a hawk or owl would take three , 1/2 grown birds in one day . However that's 7 B/B/S Ameraucana lost in two weeks , and [ although I have 7 left and 24 of the other breeds that are staying safe ] I assume they hopped on top of the box and then to the top of the fence and out , but I'm not buying anymore untill I'm sure there's no more losses occuring .
Edts necessary because I can't proofread worth a hoot , I always see what I meant to type LOL