Chick missing out of closed coop

[3KillerBs]

I'm sorry to hear that! Its hard to get motivated when you're feeling bad .I don't think its going under the apron,probably the door or roof. They climb good.We had a problem with big rat snakes getting inside our young pea fowl pen years ago.They'll kill adult chickens if they're hungry

There are no gaps at the roof.

I don't have the coop article done, but this is the build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

I should be able to do the inspection today.

 

[McChooky]

There are no gaps at the roof.

I don't have the coop article done, but this is the build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

I should be able to do the inspection today.

Thats good,maybe its just getting in the door.

 

[1stTimeChicken]

Or it could have been stepped on my mom and covered by the bedding.

I looked all over the bedding when I looked for any traces, nothing.


Thank you everyone, seem to be a unanimous opinion that it was a snake.
He must have come in from the top... and left through the 2x4 wire on the side, even though there's a 30'' metal wall on the lowest side.
I put bird netting over it for the time being, until I can get something better.

I still find it strange that it just came in, took a single chick (the special one to boot) left the other potential meals alone and never felt the wrath of mama hen's pecks.

 

[joyatthebeach]

Hi,
we had somewhat of a mystery happen this week. One of our chicks that's been raised by our broody went missing out of closed coop without a trace. We looked all over for feathers, beak, wings, legs, nothing. Not even feathers from an agitated mom hen. It's just gone. What kind of predator would only take one chick and leave 4 others??? PLUS, this mom hen is fierce. Nothing can get too close to those chicks without feeling the pecks of her beak.

I know it's only a chicken, but both my teenage daughter and I are rather crushed.

One of our hens went broody and we decided to let her have her desire and got her some hatching eggs. Only one of 7 hatched on June 2. (Easter egger eggs for a Australorp mom) After a bit of research we found that 1 chick would be rather lonely to we went to TSC and got 4 more chicks. It was risky, since these guys where about a week older than the hatched one. Mama hen took them right in and all was well. Everyone got along and the little EE was the one with the most personality, so cute. It was 2 1/2 weeks old when it vanished.

What could sneak up on a chicken and just take one chick without mom hen pecking the bajeebas out of it?

Snake! Happened to me last night and the n before. Snake was still in there this am. I m so sad.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry!
Rats are another possibility, and can easily climb and get through your wire. There might be rat poo visible somewhere.
Mary

 

[ducklover128]

We had a problem earlier this year with black snakes and black racers. Ended up having to kill em. Found and killed around 8 or so. Didn't want to, but it was either the eggs, ducks, and chickens, or the snakes. I love snakes, but they kept stealing the eggs out from under 4 different broody duck hens. Caught one on a trail camera. The momma just stood up like what in the world?!? Apparently, one of the Muscovy hens tried to fight it. When we came home she was dead. No bites or anything. We noticed her head and neck looked at wet. The stupid snake had tried to swallow her and when it couldn't, it spit her back out. . So we had to act. The snakes ended up getting almost all of the eggs from the 4 ducks and we don't know how many chicken eggs they got. I found an egg shell that looked untouched, other than being rolled out of the nest one day. I picked it up, and it had been chewed into, and I noticed it looked kinda bloody on the inside. I looked down and there was a tiny baby that wasn't ready to hatch yet. I don't know what did that, but it was heartbreaking. I love nature, but omg it's so cruel sometimes.

 

[Nodakj]

And this is why I live in MN! we only have gardener snakes they are small and harmless.