My twelve 6 week old baby chickens disappears one by one and now im down to four.

[tempesta]

Hello Everyone, I'm having a predator problem but i cant pinpoint what is killing my baby chickens, I have a closed coop with wide openings I started putting 12 baby chickens inside and they are living with a 3 matured chickens and a lone turkey hen, (i will post a screenshot of it later). The problem started around last month where we had a heavy rain for 3 days, i first noticed that there were 2 missing when i counted them at night during the rainy days, then after the rain (their place was all muddy) i found bones and legs of 2 dead chickens (with head present but bodies mutilated), after a few days a few have gone missing again only to be found the next day but this time there are bodies present but no intestines. and last night i lost another one (the largest of my chickens) and i am down to four.

What could be killing my chickens? I am thinking rats, and cats, as we have alot of those roaming around our place. but any insight and ideas will be good.

Thanks.

 

[tempesta]

Here is an actual picture of where they are at now.

 

[Athena2344]

Is it the chicks, or adults dying? With them being forced together under intense situations, they could be killing eachother

 

[tempesta]

Is it the chicks, or adults dying? With them being forced together under intense situations, they could be killing eachother

its the little ones that are dying, the large ones are all good and healthy. there has been a little bullying during the first week when i place them there, but it settled down after a week.

and yes killing each other could be one case, but what about the mutilated bodies where there are only bones can be found, and the missing intestines...

 

[Athena2344]

Bullying is normal, but if a predator was coming in, there would be little to no bodies/bones left. It sounds like the adults are mutilating the little ones... Maybe try putting TH in a cage by themselves for about a week and see how that goes...

 

[Athena2344]

*them

 

[lazy gardener]

Is your run covered? With what? The fencing you are using could allow weasels, or rats through, maybe even a small possum. If the run is not covered, any number of predators could be climbing in.

 

[tempesta]

Bullying is normal, but if a predator was coming in, there would be little to no bodies/bones left. It sounds like the adults are mutilating the little ones... Maybe try putting TH in a cage by themselves for about a week and see how that goes...

Ill try doing it tonight, but if things still dont work out, i may force to remove the chicks from that coop.

Thanks.

 

[Athena2344]

No problem, I have had to deal with my Embeden goose pick8ng on all the ducks, forcing to fly out, so I tied everyone up for about a week, and let them all go, and I never saw a fight again

 

[junebuggena]

I see that your fencing is chain link. In the Philippines, there are many different species of rat-type, omnivorous rodents and weasel-type creatures. Chainlink offers spaces that are plenty wide for any number of critters to slip right in. I suggest adding a layer of wire fencing with smaller gaps to keep things out.