Can you help identify my predator?

[cattleprods]

Okay, I can't figure this out. My chickens are in a covered coop, there is rectangle that isn't covered over one of the doors (b/w the door and the roof), and a small hole in the back side (maybe a domestic cat could squeeze through).

Last week 2 of my young chicks, about3mo old, disappeared---- and the 3rd one was DEAD! Maybe he was squeezed or suffocated, no blood or missing parts. There are no feathers, it's like they vanished & left one dead.
Here's the ongoing problem: my hens stopped laying after that, or maybe something is taking them away. I was getting 3-5 eggs everyday, then after that incident; I got 1 egg last week and one today!

I would be inclined to think that the 2 little chickens went out the small hole in the back of the coop, but the 3rd chicken was dead on that same day???? I can't say for sure if it happened at night or daytime.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!~

 

[theFox]

Seal the hole.

As for what happened, anything from a rat, weasel, or snake could fit through a hole that size, the chickens might even be able to squeeze through, a raccoon could reach in and pull a chicken through the hole, a mink could get through.

 

[theFox]

Oh and as for the third one it could have broken its neck flying around in panic.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
I agree.

Make the place predator proof!

 

[gsim]

Quote:
I agree.

Make the place predator proof!

The Fox and Mahonri both nailed it. Flock safety and security first, then get the pred. Sounds lika a big snake to me. Could check the neck area closely because weasels will kill a chook like a vampire and never dislodge even one feather.

 

[maplesky7]

and tell us where your from so we can get a better picture of predators in your area?

little chicks...so I'm thinking it must be fairly warm where you are...

 

[cattleprods]

I'm in Texas, near Waco. I'm worried about the snake, to eat 2 chickens he's BIG and scary!! I don't think we have any mink or weazels around here, but we DO have snakes, opossums, racoons, owls, hawks. I patched the hole today, but I'm sad that my chicks are gone....it's so frustrating!

 

[maplesky7]

Had a big ol possum in my coop this past tues. eating a duck egg... got in the door right at dusk and then I got home to shut the coop but noticed things awry... ducks not going in and chickens roosting outside in the cold and snow?

Opened the main door and see a possum munching away.


Never had a snake problem but have heard many others have had it happen. Time to tighten it up there it looks like.

Sorry for your loss... it is a bummer but it happens.

me,
g