Long story short.
A coulpe weeks ago I found one dead 2 month old completely naked, but relatively uneaten. Perhaps a bit nibbled, but whole. Inside a wire dog crate outside the reach of the other chickens. No evidence of feathers.
Second chick, now 3 months old, found dead ... again in closed wire crate ... mostly feathered, but feathers on the ground around it ... head and breast meat gone.
Would rats do this? Or do I need to look for some other chicken killer? The killings appear to happen during the day since the chicks are found outside the coop and they always sleep inside ... and I am almost certain today's chick was present and accounted for this morning.
A coulpe weeks ago I found one dead 2 month old completely naked, but relatively uneaten. Perhaps a bit nibbled, but whole. Inside a wire dog crate outside the reach of the other chickens. No evidence of feathers.
Second chick, now 3 months old, found dead ... again in closed wire crate ... mostly feathered, but feathers on the ground around it ... head and breast meat gone.
Would rats do this? Or do I need to look for some other chicken killer? The killings appear to happen during the day since the chicks are found outside the coop and they always sleep inside ... and I am almost certain today's chick was present and accounted for this morning.