fox...?

[Red]

Something has killed all three of my chicks. They were the first chicks we have ever hatched, and it was their fourteenth week-old birthday yesterday. We had two boys and one girl, and the boys had just started trying to crow and i was so excited to wait and see them all fully grown and everything

Went out this morning and all three are gone, just feathers everywhere...no blood, nothing. Thinking probably a fox. I'm in the UK, so can't think of anything else other than badger maybe...
Also will my adult chickens be okay in their coop? It's pretty sturdy and covered with chicken mesh, but will the fox dig under the coop structure or what?

Thanks in advance,
Red

 

[okiechick57]

:aww SO sorry for you...... could be a number of predators..... I know how exciting it is to watch babies grow........ so sorry..........

 

[SpottedCrow]

Badgers mihgt be more likely to dig in.
Foxes can climb really well.
Sorry for your losses.

 

[Red]

Thank you both, it means a lot.

What could i do to make my chickens safer in their coop - we lock them in the sleeping area at night, but sometimes we don't get home until after it's dark and I'm worried in case they get attacked before we have locked them in...Is there any way we could do something to stop preadators from digging under?

Thanks again, any ideas appreciated

 

[texaschickmama]

Sorry for losing your chicks. My husband put up an electric fence on the bottom of the coop, also we went back and put horse fencing (heavy duty welded fence) over top the chicken wire. Chicken wire only keeps your chickens in. It does not keep predators out. They could grab them through the chicken wire. We have found that they are pretty secure behind the chicken wire, horse fencing, and electric fence.

 

[Red]

Oh wow, thanks for the idea - I'm looking to see where i can buy some from, thankyou

Red