How many chickens have you lost?

[theFox]

None due to predators.

One close call with dogs (one of my Black Giants still hasn't got any tail feathers and the attack was in August of 2009) and one close call with a hawk last fall (thwarted by a murder of crows and me running towards the pen, the crows drove the hawk to ground).

 

[colebarnhart]

3 full grown to predators, 1 month old slw roo not sure what his deal was, and 1 week old chic to compacted and/or sour crop, 30+ fertile and well developed eggs to piece of crap incubator

 

[Jerseycoop]

None yet but worry when I read the posts!

 

[kansasgirlinutah]

I just lost one today by my neighbors dog who dug under our fence that separates our yards. He's a very agressive dog and I kept him away from our 2 kittens and our 10 chicks until the neighbor came to get him. But in an instant, he ran into the shrubs and out he came with one of our babies. At least it was quick and the poor thing didn't suffer. Still very sad.... :'(

 

[bryan99705]

No chicken losses this year but did loose a half grown goose in a raven attack. Lost several last year till I got the whole yard skirted and shot 3 fox.

 

[zengrrl]

I started with 8, down to 6 now.

 

[tinychicky]

i just lost raven, my five yr old silkie roo today

it really sucks cause i've already lost six other chickens this year

 

[ALLcoopedUP]

Just lost 6 of my little 2 week old chicks to some kind of predator over 2 nights. Only 2 surviving out of 9 hatched. Very sad. They were soooo cute - see my page.

I have previously lost other weak chicks and roos due to sickness but this was my first attack.
Have secured the coop and run, put a cage trap with bait just outside the run. We got complacent and left it open all the time as we thought the high fence with locked gate, and dog patrolling around the lawn kept them safe - for over a year- without any trouble until now.
Something is either getting under the fence or climbing the trees. The older hens and roos all seem ok.
The dog wouldn't even come up to me first thing - guess he felt he'd let me down because he hadn't been able to protect them.

Update- just caught a large rat in the live trap. We will be setting the trap every day from now on.