I'm so upset

[CaradineCousins]

this afternoon I heard a lot of commotion in the chicken yard, so I went out to investigate didn't see anything. Now I went out to close everyone up for the night and noticed my 1 week old black bantam missing. I've hunted to no avail, hubby thinks it was snake. I'm shooked up and crying.

All my flock are confined there are just so many loose running dogs and aerial predators that I cannot let them free range. However, everyday for an hour before sunset I let them out (but not chicks) while I'm there to watch and let them run around and play. The baby I'm referring to was with her broody mother and another little chick from the clutch, she is set up in a medium sized wire dog crate with hardware cloth part of the way but not half of the height, I am so devastated I feel like a bad mom. We do have a lot of stray cats that hang around but they never bother our birds at all. I hope whatever got it gets it's own justice......

 

[MGG]

this afternoon I heard alot of commotion in the chicken yard, so I went out to investigate didn't see anything. Now I went out to close everyone up for the night and noticed my 1 week old black bantam missing. I've hunted to no avail, hubby thinks it was snake. I'm shooked up and crying.

I'm so sorry! I don't know how a snake would have eaten him, I'm guessing it was some sort of bird of prey. Chickens don't generally see snakes, but they are hawks so they make noise. I'm really sorry. Maybe he'll turn up. Hugs

 

[Laura_BelgianBantams_63]

Sorry about this...maybe she is broody???

 

[MGG]

Sorry about this...maybe she is broody???

1 week old is pretty young to go broody, lol. Maybe it will be back in the yard in the morning. Fingers crossed!

 

[Laura_BelgianBantams_63]

1 week old is pretty young to go broody, lol. Maybe it will be back in the yard in the morning. Fingers crossed!

Oh yeahh....

 

[Tamdog]

Could have been something came after them and she ran off and is hiding. One of mine ran off once when she was scared, we found her in a tree two days later,. She MAY be up in a tree somewhere - she may be hiding under something.,if it is dark at your house you can get a flashlight and go see. Sorry hope you find her.

 

[TwistedSteel]

Most times around here when a little one goes missing it`s because a hawk or owl got it.

 

[CaradineCousins]

Thanks you guys.

Still no sign I believe it's gone, I have placed some hardware cloth around the whole cage now this morning to protect mom and baby, I have 3 newly hatched little bantams from the incubator that when this broody mom abandoned her eggs i candled and put in incubator can I put those under her now or put in my brooder that has 5 other chicks standard size and are 2 weeks old and 1 week old?

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. It could have been most anything. If you have a game camera, put it up and then maybe you will find out what has been lurking. Often times predators will be around and you won't know it and they will look for an opportunity when you least expect it. Good luck...