missing chicks.

[mtminstrel]

Last night I had 13. this morning only 7 came out with mom. No sign of a struggle. We have seen mice in there but I put up a ridex rodent repeler and haven't seen a mouse since. John says he's seen what he thinks is a rat. Will rats eat chicks? Very sad day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Rats will, but you would most likely see evidence and they would probably not take that many in one night. I suspect something else. I assume you looked and there is no evidence or bodies left?

I've had a snake eat eggs out from under a broody, so that is my top guess. It's possible that something else could get some chicks from under a broody and leave some and leave no evidence, but I'm not sure what. Not all predators read the book so they don't all act like they "typically" do.

If you have rodents around, it is certainly possible they have attrated snakes.