Cats and chickens

[ShellyBear]

I hate myself so much! I left my 4 month old chicks with the hens and didn't close the door. Nothing had happen so far with the door being open so I thought i guess it's safe. NO NO NO!!!! I was wrong! I'm pretty sure it was a cat since we live an acre away from this place that roams with dozens of wild and sickly cats. I woke up and went to check on how they were. When feathers cought my eye. I picked them up seeing that they were blood feathers. I followed the trail to a shed finding feathers everywhere and wings strewed here and there. I was horrified and angry at the cat and me. I wanted to see if i could find the body and to me surprise I lifted a piece of wood finding the carcass buried in the cold ground. I had two chicks, I found one where is the other? I could not find the other, I'm praying it's still alive but I know that's almost impossible. I'm thinking it was a cat because there's so many of them at the neighbors and the whole burying the bird in the ground. I raised these guys from the incubator and its hard to believe they can disappear like that, so quickly. If anyone knows of what animal may be behind this please do tell. Thank you for reading all of this. Thank you.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I am so sorry for your loss. This is not reading like a cat attack to me - ultimately, though, *what* did it is not the issue so much as you are now aware that *something* in your area is aware of your birds as an easy meal source and will return so it is doubly important to assure that they are secured while at roost (closing the door that was left open and possibly revisiting the security overall as on the return trip the predator will be more determined to gain entry)

 

[ShellyBear]

Ok, I with close the door tonight. Thank you