Decapitated chicks inside cage?

[fanynany]

Hello, just yesterday i came home to a dead chick in its cage, it’s entire neck was exposed and it’s head tucked under the cage.
i went ahead and moved their cage and ensured there wasn’t space to crawl under, im not exactly sure where it’s body was as there is a few other chicks and mom and they scratch and move things.
Came home today, another dead chick, head hanging off, neck exposed and another chick has the back of head and neck area exposed and bleeding, i went ahead and took mom and her remaining kids and put them into another cage/coop.
??? are they getting their neck stuck? is mom pecking them dead?

i also had a hen with 3 chicks, two months old, unfortunately i do have to keep babies and moms in enclosed areas as there is cats and dogs nearby that are fiends for baby chicks.
i saw that she has started to be aggressive with them and desperate to leave her space so i decided to let her go back outside and and left the 3 on their own, they were doing good, 2 days ago or so i come home, 2 have blood and bald spots, 1 of them is entirely bald and swollen and bleeding also found a scab located above his crop earlier. disinfected with iodine and another solution .
i went ahead and separated them from the other two and have kept them separate since.

what is going on

(i’d also like to note that there is usually someone constantly watching them but there was a family emergency and had to leave for a few weeks, i attend school and work so it is difficult for me to be home before a certain time and be aware of what is going on)

 

[StinkyAcres]

unfortunately too iffy to put rat poison out as i have cats, haven’t seen many rats around since i have cats, i’ve never seen them reach through the cage but might’ve been it

Poison is not the answer. A more secure cage is. Needs to be 1/2 inch hardware cloth.

 

[sourland]

A predator could readily reach through that wire and injure/kill the chicks. May very well be one of the cats that you mentioned.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Yeah, rats can probably get in through that. I’m pretty sure that they are what you’re dealing with.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! Yikes that looks pretty bad . That definitely looks like some sort of predator to me. If it was the hen or the other chicks that killed it, it wouldn’t be left without the head, or only the head. Since it’s only attacking the chicks I’d assume it’s smaller, probably a rat because they always go for the head or neck. Hope this helps and no more chicks get hurt!

 

[fanynany]

Came home 2 more injured, no way any cat could’ve gotten in there or reached through, went ahead and moved them inside. they all have some sort of scratch or cut on their neck, is it mom ??

 

[aart]

What mesh/bar size spacing is this cage?
Is cage in a secure run with other chickens, or out in the open?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

That wire gauge is just way too big. Can you line it with half inch or less? Flock mates (Sibling's,) don't do that kind of damage and the list of what does is really long. So just make the cage much better and you might not have more losses.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Make sure to keep food in a sealed container, as this is what rats are attracted to. When they find the food they will also kill chicks and steal/eat eggs. You could maybe try some traps or poison, but make sure you put it somewhere that the birds won’t get to it, because they can and will hurt or kill them.

 

[Hucklekree]

Raccoons, weasels, and other predators can reach through that size mesh. Coons especially have no problem reaching in and just grabbing whatever they can get ahold of.