baby chick disappeared....rat, snake, or rooster?

[kayab423]

Hey everyone,
We bought 5 new chicks on Sunday and put them in a smaller pen inside the chicken coop. On Monday morning all 5 were accounted for but on Monday night one was completely gone. Here are the theories:
1. She stuck her little head through the chicken wire and the rooster pulled her out and completely ate her to the point where there was no trace.
2. A snake came through and ate her.
3. The family of rats living under the coop ate her.
Do rats eat chicks?
I reinforced the smaller coop today but not sure if I should kill the rats too. They seem to be really dug in and mostly tunnel under the chicken wire floor to where the food will fall into their tunnel. I can't believe they could possibly be hungry enough after all that free food to work that hard to eat a chick.
What do you think?
Thanks!

 

[lurky]

i think RAT

 

[sred98]

Quote:
Scenario #1: If a rooster killed a chick, there would be feathers and other "remains".

Scenario #2: If the snake crawled in, ate the chicken, then it would have had trouble getting out with the chicken in its belly, unless the chicks could easily squeeze through the bars.

Scenario #3: I don't think a rat would eat a whole chick. I'm not saying it couldn't, just that I don't think it would. Seems like there would be some evidence of the attack.

Scenario #4: A wildcard option...something else got it. My vote would be a raccoon. Grabbed the chick, pulled it through the bars and ate it.

You don't mention how old the chicks are, if it is covered on top, if the chicks can fit through any holes or what, so there are a lot of unknowns.

Were there any feathers or evidence at all???

Hope you figure it out soon!

Shelly

 

[lurky]

A rat ate my 2 week old barred rock chick leaving not even a feather.
A snake could too if you have big ones around.

 

[kayab423]

The chicks are about two weeks old. The smaller coop is completely enclosed, but with chicken wire with standard sized holes. The chicks could get their heads through the holes but not their bodies (I don't think!). Today I added a layer of really small mesh fencing. I suppose it could have been a raccoon, the smaller pen is close to the side of the chicken coop, but there are about three layers of chicken wire that he would have had to reach through. And no feathers, blood, or any evidence of any kind. Hmmm.

 

[Farming Frenzy]

Hi, that just happened this morning with one of my chicks! It has disappeared, with no clues, blood, or feathers anywhere

I would say a wild cat or dog got into the coop, but they would have ripped the wire, and left claw marks.Check if any other chicks have blood stains, or missing feathers.That could be a clue.Does any of your neighbours have wild pets? Could have been a wild animal, like a racoon or similiar

 

[ozarkchicks]

I'd say a coon

sorry to hear about your missing chick