Completely Devestated

[NC29mom]

OK.....so....it was a PREDATOR

Either a big, ugly, fat ole rat or a weasel.......more than likely a RAT! (Not a lotta weasel around here)

DF setting a trap now..........

 

[sourland]

Mink are quite common in many parts of NC.

 

[ChooksChick]

Hardware cloth is your friend. Make the area for your sleeping quarters as tight as possible with hardware cloth and ROBUST wood. Night is a very bad time for vulnerable chicks and growing-out teens. Build for bear. It could be a snake, rats, minks...all sorts of evils, but your Sebrights, are able to evade, while your chicks aren't.

1/2" hardware cloth. Like a mantra. Not chicken wire. Hardware cloth.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I just knew it couldn't be your chickens. Maybe pecking, but not eating entirely, not just two chickens. I don't think rats usually carry off chickens. I'm thinking mink, raccoon, fox, something like that. Hopefully you can trap it right quick!

 

[NC29mom]

Quote:
There were 6 dead this AM (that I know for sure....could have been more bc my DF (fiance) adds his BO as they hatch and I lost count of his). Looks like they were bitten on the neck/head. Not torn up or anything like that. Whatever it is.....it's carrying off some of the chicks, and then killing & leaving some others. Amazingly, he left the smallest ones....killing my older chicks. I have 9 left. I have already placed them in a different location. A very safe location. (we have a very nice raised area with 2 pens together, approx 10ft long & 3 ft wide & 4 foot off ground under a shed way across our yard....we use it as our "hospital" for injured or sick chickens) The 9 who are left seem very sad and tired. I started with 4 NN and only have 1 left and the poor girl.....she won't eat or drink. I have looked over most of them..and a few have small injuries......I don't see anything wrong with the NN.

So...I gave my beautiful Sebrights away for nothing. Though......I still believe they were pecking the chicks...but probably after the predator had killed them. I understand it's normal behavior. The gentleman I gave my Sebrights to lives right down the road. Awesome guy. He's been wanting some for a very long time, so I will be ok.

We have placed industrial strength rat poison under the barn and ensured the bottom is boarded up good. MY DF has set a trap. I just hope we can get whatever it is.

I HATE PREDATORS!

 

[chi-rn]

First- your Sebrights are beautiful! We're only about 2.5 hours distant from one another. Bitten around head/neck. You can almost guanantee it was a racoon in this area. They actually reach into your pen or wired windows of your coop (if the wire isn't welded with small openings) & grap your chicks. Pull off whatever part they can get.... usually it's the head. My father lost a flock of 25 in one night a few years back to a coon. We have our coop inside an enclosed pen (all locked at night) with fence buried underground, aluminum roof over run & electric fence perimeter around the whole thing. Used to think coons were cute animals.... no longer!

 

[SunnyDayz]

I have a couple japanese bantams and they can fly up over my head by several feet. They are my highest fliers... I'm 5'8 BTW. They are about 4 months old.
Sorry for your birdie loss though

 

[kaybats]

I am so, so sorry for your loss..... both kinds.

 

[NC29mom]

Quote:
I would agree with you about the height BTW japs can fly......HOWEVER; the 2 chicks I lost were new chicks....had just bought them 2 days prior. And, I really don't think they could have flown over the pen. I bought them with a BTW hen. The 2 chicks stayed with her (though I don't believe her to be their mother) every second. Well, the "mom" would fly and roost on a stick we had caddy cornered on the tent that covered 90% of the top of the pen. If these chicks could have flown that high.............they would have been on the roost with their "mom". They remained on the ground.

NOT TO WORRY................the hunt is on as I am typing. Fiance outside with the RIFLE. Whatever it is has already set off the trap once, but got away. That was about 40min ago...........trap reset and now hes waiting....

thanks for everyones condolences......loosing a chicken/chick is like loosing part of my heart.........i love them dearly...............they are like family to me...

 

[Blueicebird]

I hope you get em!

Let us know!