Help! Something is killing my baby chicks

[misi40]

So i have baby chicks that are 1 month and three weeks old. I have them in my backyard inside a shed with heating lamps, food, etc. With everything they need. Recently during the day something has been getting in and eating them. We found one baby chick one day with their butt eaten. It's hard to explain but i will try my best. The animal that got in started eating their butts and made a huge hole and then ate everything inside their body. I don't know what it is that is getting in the shed but we tried to secure it very well and blocked even the smallest hole that we could see. At the end we ended up cutting the shed doors a little and making small windows so the air and sun cold get in without opening the shed doors. But today the unidentified animal still ended up getting in a killing another baby chick. So far its been about 5 baby chicks dead. We ordered 100 baby chicks so even if we wished to have them inside or next to our house we can't. What is kind of animal is this? And how can i stop it from getting in and killing my baby chicks?

 

[Realtree4]

Did they all die the same way? They arent pecking each other to death are they? I am new to chicks but I do know with adult hens, they can vent peck each other to death I'm so sorry and I hope you can catch whatever it is....

 

[misi40]

Yes they did die all the same way. To be honest I don't know if they are pecking each other. I raised before 13 baby chicks and they never pecked each other or died on me. I was thinking more that it might be a rat, but now i don't know what to think.

 

[Realtree4]

Hmmm, it may be a rat. I grew up on a farm and those things can run rampant! The thing with rats is that if they can get their head in through a hole, their entire body will fit....and they do not have big heads!! If your chicks are vent pecking each other, are you using a red heat lamp...it's "suppose" to discourage pecking. Also, I have read where other people will give their chicks toys to play with because they will peck out of boredom. Have you posted in the predator posts....they may have more info.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your chicks, you might want to try posting in the Predator forum for help with identifying what you are dealing with. https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/13/predators-and-pests if you can, a game camera or video you could set up in the coop is another idea.

 

[TwoCrows]

I am so sorry about your babies!! You need to follow the link that Kelsie has provided and post this question in our Predators section of the forums for help with this.

I hope you get it resolved soon.

Oh and welcome to BYC!

 

[gander007]

 

[chickie farmer]

If it is rats, maybe cover the whole outside bottom of the shed, (or inside bottom of shed)and under the ground with 1/4" mesh and seal the door off with a wood strip on the edge of the door so when it's closed, it seals off any cracks or holes. Also cover any air vents with it. Check for any possible cracks or small holes they could squeeze through. You may have to set traps outside of your shed for a while. I don't know if a snake would also eat parts of chickens or not, I don't know. But do post in the predator forum. Hope this helps,

 

[misi40]

Thank you all but now i know the reason and its not rats. My chicks have been pecking each other to death. They have plenty of space, food, and we have even given them grass, grapes, vegetables. But they still attack each other for no reason whatsoever. Once they draw blood then the others come and start pecking because they see red. I have them in the shed but I made a fence around it so now they can go outside. I never knew black sex links could be so aggressive. How can i stop them from pecking each other?

 

[Realtree4]

Thank you all but now i know the reason and its not rats. My chicks have been pecking each other to death. They have plenty of space, food, and we have even given them grass, grapes, vegetables. But they still attack each other for no reason whatsoever. Once they draw blood then the others come and start pecking because they see red. I have them in the shed but I made a fence around it so now they can go outside. I never knew black sex links could be so aggressive. How can i stop them from pecking each other?

Oh no! Is it one or all of them that is the bully? It's so weird that you have black sex link and are having this issue because I just received my chicks this week and I currently have two black sex links in a "bully box" because they were pecking at other chicks eyes!!!!! I assumed it was because they are so slightly smaller and they were only going after the yellow chicks and I thought it was because of the contrast between dark eyes and yellow fuzz. Hmmmm.....the hatchery said the black sex links are suppose to be friendly!!!!