Lost all but one...what do i do?

[marutia]

I thought I had it all worked out with coop and outdoor coop...super secure at night and closed in during day in the outside coop but yesterday returned from work and some animal had gotten under gate and killed 3 of my 5-12 week old hens,did not eat them so not sure how they died...maybe heart attack?...One is completely missing and the last, my black one that was the runt who managed to fly up to a ledge 8 feet up and cowered there til I got home...She has the most sad sound today and I wonder if I get a few small younger chicks will she accept them...?Sad day today....

This pic is last of my kids together...Esther on left is only survivor and Rusty second from right is missing...

 

[iwiw60]

So very sorry for your losses...your survivor is definitely stressed and to introduce baby chicks to "keep her company" at this point would do more harm than good. I would suggest trying to buy a little older chicks closer in age to her but keep them separated with wire so they can see each other but there won't be any fighting...this can take several weeks til they are comfortable with one another.

The main question at this point is your coop and run. Can you post pictures so we can get a better idea of your setup? This way we can help you better. The most important question is what kind of wire were you using...chicken wire? If so, that's your major prob. Since you now know you have a predator problem you will need to re-think your setup to avoid it happening again.....and it WILL happen again now that the scumbag knows where 'dinner' is.

 

[marutia]

I made mistake using plastic chicken wire on gate and did not lock it as I thought they were safe during day...will be getting that hardware wire to reinforce all areas. The top and some sides are built with heavy vinyl lattice. I am putting out feelers now to find one or 2 pullets to bring home.
Thanks for the advice. I really feel I let them down...

 

[Rockythgr81]

I am new at this too, but one thing I was told and I have done and so far it is working, is to bury the fence folding it over at the bottom and then filling the dirt on top. And or course use the metal chicken wire. Also I have piled gravel (about nickel size) all along the outside of the fence line. It seems to be working so far. Rats still tunnel under and get in some, but that is another issue that I assume will be resolved when my roosters come of age.
Hope this helps.