Something eating chicks

[chasethomas]

I recently had a broody hen so I let her hatch put her eggs. Then i lost 2 silkies one night with no signs of massacre. I just figured they were stupid birds and somehow got out of the coop in the night. Then I started to lost one chick every night. And one night I saw that one of my chicks had its eye ripped out of its head. (r.i.p.) It is something that is digging under the coop and getting in the small holes no bigger than a baseball. I moved my chicks and chickens in to a an area where the thing couldn't get them. What we it was would only take a chick and never any big hens.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Rat. Weasel. This is why people recommend a one foot deep wire trench around coops/runs or a wire floor.

 

[chasethomas]

Thanks that will be my next project.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I have a rat that is ALWAYS trying to dig into my coop. Nasty little bugger. I have to back fill under the pavers around it all the time.

 

[JanetS]

Keeping your chickens safe can sometimes be a 24/7 job. It does sound like a rat. A wire apron around the bottom of your coop/run should help.