Devastated beyond belief

[StepfordCuckoos]

Today I went to let our chickens and everything seemed fine. As I was walking away, I noticed that the baby chick being raised by two of our hens was not out with them. This is not typical as it comes out with them every morning. It is a couple of months old. I went back in and searched the coop and could not find it. I looked up onto the wall of my coop and found a rat snake with a bulge. It ate our little baby chick. I am devastated- beyond devastated. It was such a cute, sweet little one. My dad relocated the snake away from our coops (we do not kill snakes and up until now none of them have ever bothered our chickens, only taken eggs). It was definitely got in through the bottom of the door of the coop, as I've seen the snakes escape that way (or try to) after stealing our eggs.

We have never had a snake go after a chick before. I do not know what to do to try and stop this from happening again. Does anyone have suggestions? We are going to fix the gap underneath the door, but I'd love some ideas otherwise if anyone has some.

I am so sad, it's hard to put into words. The hens were calling out for their baby when they went outside. It's awful.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Today I went to let our chickens and everything seemed fine. As I was walking away, I noticed that the baby chick being raised by two of our hens was not out with them. This is not typical as it comes out with them every morning. It is a couple of months old. I went back in and searched the coop and could not find it. I looked up onto the wall of my coop and found a rat snake with a bulge. It ate our little baby chick. I am devastated- beyond devastated. It was such a cute, sweet little one. My dad relocated the snake away from our coops (we do not kill snakes and up until now none of them have ever bothered our chickens, only taken eggs). It was definitely got in through the bottom of the door of the coop, as I've seen the snakes escape that way (or try to) after stealing our eggs.

We have never had a snake go after a chick before. I do not know what to do to try and stop this from happening again. Does anyone have suggestions? We are going to fix the gap underneath the door, but I'd love some ideas otherwise if anyone has some.

I am so sad, it's hard to put into words. The hens were calling out for their baby when they went outside. It's awful.

I’m very sorry you lost your baby

 

[C Siena]

I am sorry for your loss. It makes me want to double check for any small openings in our coops.

 

[StepfordCuckoos]

I’m very sorry you lost your baby

Thank you
It has been a sad morning after this. I cannot shake the image of the snake laying there.

 

[StepfordCuckoos]

I am sorry for your loss. It makes me want to double check for any small openings in our coops.

Thank you
I encourage you to do so. I saw the baby poking it's head out from under the two moms last night (it sleeps under both of them right in the middle). I always look around to make sure there are no snakes before closing up, but it definitely got in during the night.

 

[Esc_Quaily]

Time for more reinforcements. My Ma's silkies and bantams coops look like Fort Knox, she'd needed ro reinforce them a few times over the years. Predators unfortunately come in all shapes and sizes . Sorry to hear about your loss. I hope your chooks recover quickly from their sad loss too.