Hawk stole 3 chicks?

[zazouse]

Could it have been a snake? We had a snake get in our coop last year and he picked off a few chicks every other day or so until we finally caught him! We couldn't figure out where they were disappearing to until we caught him in the act. It was a 6ft rat snake!

I agree i have seen more than one snake here with chicks and eggs in them.
Sorry for your loss

 

[webgranny77]

Yes it is raptor breeding season, but a Cooper's Hawk is a more likely candidate to have stolen your babies than a Redtail. They are bird specialists and more comfortable in tighter spaces when hunting. Then again, considering the circumstances, the most likely culprit is not a bird at all.

I'm not going to say the dog DIDN'T do it, but I cannot understand how there was not a trace of the chicks left behind. She had an hour to completely devour them, bones, feathers, & blood? I guess that's the most puzzling part.. the chicks just disappeared!! I watched her closely afterward to see if she had any problems but she did not. Being a city dog that only eats dog food, I figure a meal like that would make her a little sick or something. I don't know, I guess I was waiting for her to fart and have a feather come out or something. Thanks for the repsonses!!

 

[centrarchid]

Most of my chicks by the time they are 4 weeks are are too big for most snakes to consume. Snakes that could include bull snakes and big timber rattlers but neither do well in urban settings. If chicks are bantam breed then they may still be vulnerable to large rat snake or king snake.

OP (webgranny), where are you located?

 

[webgranny77]

League City Texas

 

[centrarchid]

This time of year you cannot rule out snakes in Texas. If possibly your dog, then fox also possible. Red foxes are present as well.

 

[Sparrow]

I'm not going to say the dog DIDN'T do it, but I cannot understand how there was not a trace of the chicks left behind. She had an hour to completely devour them, bones, feathers, & blood? I guess that's the most puzzling part.. the chicks just disappeared!! I watched her closely afterward to see if she had any problems but she did not. Being a city dog that only eats dog food, I figure a meal like that would make her a little sick or something. I don't know, I guess I was waiting for her to fart and have a feather come out or something. Thanks for the repsonses!!

I think you'e found your culprit. A dog, regardless of origin, will gobble up a baby chick in no time. Look at all the stupid things dogs willingly eat(rocks, leather, etc.), a few beaks and feathers won't stop them! As far as it making her a little sick if she did, actually she just ate a very natural type of prey item, so she probably felt pretty darn good. Not many other predators will take out a number of chicks without a trace in a short period.

And believe me, it was not a snake. I keep a large number of snakes as pets and they take forever to consume one prey item. Even a ravenous bullsnake takes a long time generally, rattlesnakes even longer as they bite and then wait for the prey to be quite dead before they start to eat. Four chicks of that size would be practically out of the question.

 

[webgranny77]

Well, you might be right. She sure doesn't want to be anywhere near me! She sure ACTS guilty! Bad dog!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I am so sorry about your chicks webgranny