Murder Mystery, what killed my chicks??????

[Howard E]

I agree with those who think weasel.......which BTW, it will be back for the rest of your birds. Weasels can dig and can climb with the best of them. Any holes larger than a quarter and they can get in. Just saying.

So next question......do you have any known issues with rats or mice in your coop?

 

[Zinjifrah]

Just tossing this out there - but with one chick being outside, and with the hole in the skull, it might also be a small raptor. There are probably kestrels there, but I don't think they'd go for anything that large. However, being close to a house might not deter a hungry falcon. Weasel is more likely, given the overkill, but it's a consideration.

 

[Kessel23]

Yep, if it is a Mink or weasel it will be back, I had a mink killing my rabbits every day for a week straight, he would even do it during the day! Unfortunately for him he went into the coop one morning and was blocked in and killed by me. If you don't want to kill it then you should get a small live trap of squirrels or rabbits and set it in there. Minks love ground beef so you can use that as bait.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Or use cat food as a bait

 

[DempsK01]

Update, the remaining two ducks one full grown chicken were all killed today in broad daylight. They were fine before I went to pick my daughter up from school, 30 minutes later I get back from picking her up And one duck and the remaining chicken were out dragged in the middle of the yard dead and the last duck was dead inside the coop I did find this single paw print inside the coop. Same deal as before though, killed but no damage or eating.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Im so sorry! how devastating

 

[Cayuga momma]

It's hard to tell the size of the paw print.

I'm so sorry for your loss!

 

[Hybridchucks]

Do you have lynx in your area?

 

[DempsK01]

Do you have lynx in your area?

No, but my friend around the corner has a trail cam in her run, just lost her flock to a young bobcat l, same MO as my chickens deaths so I’m thinking that’s it.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Ah.. that'll be it...