Lost a chick today from a broody hen

[Ranchwithaview]

Chick totally disappeared?
I had to line my runs(2x4 welded wire) with 1/2" HC 2' high to keep chicks from getting out.

Yes, completely gone...only a day old. What is HC? Thank you. This is a whole new ball game for us. We kept our other chicks inside until they were 3-4 weeks, and were only out with supervision until 5 weeks (we bought and incubated some before our been went broody).

 

[Crystal37]

I am really sorry you are going through this! I'm curious, you said the chick is just gone. Do you know if the momma had them outside? If so what kind of fencing do you have? Could the baby have gotten out? Do you have any other broody hens in the coop? I've had babies that have jus t went and gotten under a different hen. Also how do your chickens get in and out of their coop? Is there a ramp, does the coop sit flat on the ground? Also where was the mom when you discovered the baby was missing?

 

[Jenngee]

Following this thread with interest. Hope remaining chick does well. I had a chick disappear. I hunted high and low and it had vanished. Found its body weeks and weeks later squashed in behind a stone trough I use as a dust bath that was flush with the stone wall. No idea how she got in there

 

[aart]

What is HC?

Hardware Cloth.

 

[henless]

If you can't find the body anywhere, I would think some kind of predator got it. If the other chickens or momma hen killed it, I would think there should be something left of it. I know chickens are cannibals, but surely a trace of it would remain?

I had chicks go missing last year. Five at one time. Found the rat snake and took care of it. Couple days later I found a dead chick & 1 missing. I thought the other hens had killed it. I was wrong. Found the 2nd rat snake. It must have not been able to swallow the 2nd chick so spit it back out. Last chick he/she ever ate.

If you're using chicken wire for your coop/run, it could be a predator that got the chick and not the momma.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

Following this thread with interest. Hope remaining chick does well. I had a chick disappear. I hunted high and low and it had vanished. Found its body weeks and weeks later squashed in behind a stone trough I use as a dust bath that was flush with the stone wall. No idea how she got in there

Aw, poor thing.
I hope to not find it somewhere at this point, though now I will be better prepared for the possibility.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

I ended up taking the other chick away last night. I felt bad for the hen, but I just didn't feel confident in her mothering skills. I had moved them to their own pen within the chicken run. Again the mama seemed protective, but she kept burying the water with leaf litter. I tried replacing it many times. Then I bought a water bottle for bunnies, but the mama wouldn't stun mmm from it. I gave up, and brought the chick in.

The lost chick was my son's, so I let him pick out a replacement to keep this one company. But, now I am worried about it. I will see if I can load a picture. It has a sore on its leg and looks like they removed it from the egg before it was ready. I bought it from a local breeder. Sigh. I need a break.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

What should I do for it, if anything? Thank you.