SamLockwood
Songster
- Sep 29, 2022
- 457
- 933
- 166
They really need to be enclosed at night: locked door, roof over their heads, anything near where they roost needs to have no larger than 1/2" wire grid next to it (raccoons and birds of prey can reach through the wire and pull small birds through it, or pieces of larger ones). Ground level fences also need to be solid or reinforced with hardware cloth or small-grid wire (not chicken wire).
From what you've described there's all sorts of things that could be getting at your chicks. Owls are a good bet, but bobcats can easily jump over a 5' to 6' fence (or climb it if it's solid enough), and if you've got any gap 1" or larger weasels, rats, and snakes can crawl in and take birds.
Even domesticated animals can climb or hop over open-topped enclosures. I owned two different 90+ dogs that could climb fences if they were motivated enough.
From what you've described there's all sorts of things that could be getting at your chicks. Owls are a good bet, but bobcats can easily jump over a 5' to 6' fence (or climb it if it's solid enough), and if you've got any gap 1" or larger weasels, rats, and snakes can crawl in and take birds.
Even domesticated animals can climb or hop over open-topped enclosures. I owned two different 90+ dogs that could climb fences if they were motivated enough.