Can someone help

[farmerb]

I just started my chickens back after 4 years I was sooooo excited. I bought 12 9 week old commits . I had them 1 week and something Killed everyone of them. We had them in a fenced in stall locked and let the free roam during the day and locked them up in the evening. Went to see them one morning with my grandbaby she loves the chickens.. and 7 were gone couldn't find them and 5 were dead with heads gone and it looked like the hearts were gone I cried for two hours.. What could this be? No signs how they got them I just know they did..Someone please help me figure out what to do to make them safer before I buy more.

 

[texaschick-a-dee]

racoons???? They will sometimes take the whole chicken.

 

[emilyweck]

I am so very sorry about your chickens! UGH, predators are sooo terrible! With heads gone, it sounds like it could be a raccoon????? Also, where about do you live? That might help us understand what your local predators are. Did it appear as if something dug under your stall? Is it covered on top?

Again, I'm soo sorry!

 

[farmerb]

I wonder how they got in.. it is fenced all the way to the roof? What can we do to make sure this won't happen again

 

[Polish Chickens]

It could be either Racoons, Ficher Cats, Possums, Foxes, Coyotes, Weasles, Minks or Feral Cats

 

[CoopCrazy]

Do you have weasels in your area ? They can squeeze thru anything

 

[farmerb]

Ripley Ohio sorry i should of said that. I am new to this

 

[emilyweck]

You need to put welded wire on the bottom of the stall and make sure it attaches to the sides of the stall. Basically you need to cage them in so if something tries to burrow under the stall then it hits the wire. Did you see any evidence of burrowing/digging?

 

[farmerb]

We have a heavy gage wire and chicken wire behind it to make it stronger.

 

[emilyweck]

I'm sorry, I said bottom of stall and I meant the floor of the stall.