missing chicks

[alanabug]

Something is eating my baby chicks that my moma hen hatched. one to two aday. It is completely enclosed with wire in the bottom sides. I did find one hole under wire and can't find the end. about a silver dollar size. I'm thinking snake. But my husband says it wouldn't take one every day or two a day. Happens mid day, Can a snake do this, why ain't the other three adults killing it, and what to do about it? I did find one tore off wing yesterday. and feathers in a laying box one day.
At first I thought that the cat was getting them because the babies kept breaking out and fixed where the door had a crack and whatever it is in getting them inside the closed pen.

 

[junebuggena]

I'm thinking you have a rat problem.

 

[alanabug]

Rats would eat a chick? I saw a field mouse.

 

[junebuggena]

Yep. Rats are opportunistic and will not pass up a young chick. Snakes won't leave feathers and pieces behind. They swallow prey whole.

 

[alanabug]

All I saw was a field mouse when we moved there metal laying box, would that be the culprit or the tunnel we saw?.Should I put poison behind there laying box where the mouse lives? What should I do?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm thinking you have a rat problem.

That was my first thought, too.

Rats would eat a chick? I saw a field mouse.

Yes - rats will eat chicks, eggs, feed, and whatever else they can get ahold of.

All I saw was a field mouse when we moved there metal laying box, would that be the culprit or the tunnel we saw?.Should I put poison behind there laying box where the mouse lives? What should I do?

No - the mouse would not be the culprit. Rats are the most likely suspects in my opinion. I say "rats" because where there is one, there are many. I have used poison to get rid of them. If you go that route (and I can't think of any other effective thing to do), make sure you put the poison where the chickens or any other unintended targets can't get it.

 

[Bantambird]

Do you get mink, ferrets, or weasels?

 

[alanabug]

I think my husband said we get weasels. So whatever has that tunnel leading out of the pen is the culprit?

 

[alanabug]

He said weasels were not common though.

 

[junebuggena]

Most likely a gopher dug the tunnel. But there are lots of critters that utilize gopher tunnels, like rats.