They say, don't count your chickens before they are hatched, well I started with seven little chicks almost seven weeks ago and within the past three nights I'm down to three! The first to go missing was the Buff Orpington (Buffy 2 - lost Buffy 1 to a fox a year and a half ago) ), found feathers but that was it. The second night lost my Buckeye (Birdie) found her remains (wings and a foot) in the chick hen house. Went out purchased additional security stuff and beefed up the 10' x 6' x 6' dog kennel where I have the chick hen house in. Plus I bought a live trap and set it up with cat food and celery and carrots. Came home from square dancing about 11:00 pm and checked on the chicks. All five were roosting as high as they could go about 5 1/2 feet off the ground. Checked the trap and found a young raccoon inside. Placed him in the truck and drove him to a wild life management area several miles away and let him loose. Went home and reset the trap. This morning my wife went to work about 4:30 am and check the trap and you guessed it another coon but this one was older than the first; a big one! Loaded him up and again went to the release point. Got home reset trap and checked on the chicks. Lost two more; Barred Plymouth Rock (Piper 2 - lost Piper 1 to a red tailed hawk about a year ago) and the Black Copper Maran (Macie). I am now down to just three chicks the Buff Brahma (Elsie), Blue Laced Red Wyandotte (Bonnie) and a Double Laced Barnevelder (Daisey). I am at a total loss, I can not figure how the coons are getting into the kennel and then the chick hen house. No signs of digging except in the kennel going into the bottom of the hen house. I have steel welded fencing (2" x 4" rectangle) under the kennel with several inches of dirt on top. Also have the same type fencing on the top of the kennel, all secured with hog eyed links plus a heavy duty trap also secured to the top. Going completely around the bottom of the kennel is two feet high chicken wire secured to the kennel fencing. Going over the top of the chicken wire, I now have hard 1/4" square wire mesh which is three feet tall. What am I missing! For the life of me I can't see how they are getting into the kennel. I am seriously thinking about placing the three remaining chicks in with my eight older laying girls. But then they may have problems interacting. I have the same setup for my layers except the kennel is a 10' x 10' x 6' with the same type of security. Coons have not bothered the laying girls for the past two years, knocking on wood as I typed it. Need help and recommendations fast!! I DO NOT WANT TO LOOSE ANY OF MY REMAINING CHICKS!! PLEASE!
