Chicks killed in cage

[Sarkchick]

Have not been on in a long while. But I need soon help. Had a Banty hen with 7 2 week old in a 4x4 2 foot high coop. 2 ft off the ground. Solid 1/2" hardware cloth, sides, bottom and roof with 3/4" plywood on roof.

Last night "something" got in and ate 4 chicks, leaving only bloody skulls. A fifth chick was dead with no marks, probably killed by her trying to save her other chicks.

Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks, Linda

 

[Doc7]

Nothing got in solid 1/2” hardware cloth and ate all that. There is a gap.

or cannibalism.

 

[50-45-1]

Picture of this 4x4 cage would help us .
Of there is a gap around the door or access, or if the door flexes with little effort, it could have been a weasel or a rat.
Eating everything but the skull would sound more to me like the leavings of a rat. A weasel would not have eaten it all and made sure to kill everything living in the cage.
I know its solid hardware cloth, but i would have a section with board so they dont have exposure to something that could potentially grasp or peck at them from underneath at night.
I had a young redtail hawk under my hutch one day pecking up at the baby chick feet 2 summers ago through the 1/2 hardware cloth mesh.
Sorry you lost your chicks. Its sad.

 

[Sarkchick]

Sorry, pic is the little skulls. I have looked over every inch and simply do not see any holes.

Picture of this 4x4 cage would help us .
Of there is a gap around the door or access, or if the door flexes with little effort, it could have been a weasel or a rat.
Eating everything but the skull would sound more to me like the leavings of a rat. A weasel would not have eaten it all and made sure to kill everything living in the cage.
I know its solid hardware cloth, but i would have a section with board so they dont have exposure to something that could potentially grasp or peck at them from underneath at night.
I had a young redtail hawk under my hutch one day pecking up at the baby chick feet 2 summers ago through the 1/2 hardware cloth mesh.
Sorry you lost your chicks. Its sad.

 

[Sarkchick]

View attachment 2187219View attachment 2187225View attachment 2187231View attachment 2187195View attachment 2187205View attachment 2187208View attachment 2187219View attachment 2187225View attachment 2187231Sorry, pic is the little skulls. I have looked over every inch and simply do not see any holes. View attachment 2187205

View attachment 2187195
View attachment 2187195
View attachment 2187205

Do not know why is loaded so many. My WiFi is very slow. Maybe that was the problem.
Tarp was over it because we had several days of heavy tropical storm rain

 

[Sarkchick]

Picture of this 4x4 cage would help us .
Of there is a gap around the door or access, or if the door flexes with little effort, it could have been a weasel or a rat.
Eating everything but the skull would sound more to me like the leavings of a rat. A weasel would not have eaten it all and made sure to kill everything living in the cage.
I know its solid hardware cloth, but i would have a section with board so they dont have exposure to something that could potentially grasp or peck at them from underneath at night.
I had a young redtail hawk under my hutch one day pecking up at the baby chick feet 2 summers ago through the 1/2 hardware cloth mesh.
Sorry you lost your chicks. Its sad.

Thank you. We do have mice, but still do not see a way for it to get in. I put 1" x 2" welded wire around the bottom to keep other chickens from eating wet feed that was dropped

 

[LizzzyJo]

Was the mom in there with them?

 

[Sarkchick]

Nothing got in solid 1/2” hardware cloth and ate all that. There is a gap.

or cannibali
i

I posted pics below to 50-45-1

 

[Folly's place]

They can be pulled through the floor, or is that a gap at the lower edge of the hardware cloth wall?
So sorry!
Mary

 

[Sarkchick]

Was the mom in there with them?

Yes she was