Hi there. We lost a 7 wk old chick today. We've been fortunate until lately to not have much problems with predators. i guess we've been found out!
This happened between about 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM today. The results was one 7 week old chick dead. There were two areas of feathers and after walking about the yard a bit I found the body, headless and the chest area pecked at. it was against the inside of the fence and seemed to have been 'covered'. In one pile of feathers there was evidence of craw contents.
A friend told me it was with out a doubt a skunk. It wasn't at night or dusk or dawn.
I thought a bird at first but the body was there, then a dog but the last time it destroyed my flock, a cat?
After reading the note on predators I did not have any conclusive ideas. Other than to put up an electric fence, which I didn't want to .
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
All the girls (19) will be kept in their respected coop tomorrow until I can be home to check it out. Cannot think of anything else to do.
Thank you for your help.
This happened between about 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM today. The results was one 7 week old chick dead. There were two areas of feathers and after walking about the yard a bit I found the body, headless and the chest area pecked at. it was against the inside of the fence and seemed to have been 'covered'. In one pile of feathers there was evidence of craw contents.
A friend told me it was with out a doubt a skunk. It wasn't at night or dusk or dawn.
I thought a bird at first but the body was there, then a dog but the last time it destroyed my flock, a cat?
After reading the note on predators I did not have any conclusive ideas. Other than to put up an electric fence, which I didn't want to .
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
All the girls (19) will be kept in their respected coop tomorrow until I can be home to check it out. Cannot think of anything else to do.
Thank you for your help.
