Unknown predator killing my baby chicks (IN ENGLAND)

[Cherlyn]

ETA that I really do not know what this predator is - what England-dwelling animal removes the heads (cannot find them) of baby chicks?

Neighbor's cat got to three of my chicks last night. I did not properly shut the coop door. So now I am minus one golden silkie, one blue araucana, and one buff orpington, all under four weeks old.

Almost positive it was the neighbor's cat - all chicks missing heads, or nearly missing heads. One with a nasty leg injury, partially decapitated.

Lesson learned.

~Cherlyn

 

[Tala]

I thought removing heads was sign of a raccoon.

I've never known a pet cat to eat chickens, especially at night. They like to stalk/chase moving yard chickens, but I think a cat would have to be starving to attack a sleeping chicken.
Or am I misreeding, they weren't asleep?
If they were up moving around then, yeah I could see a cat taking out the little 4 week olds.

Still, when my cats kill wild birds they don't generally remove the heads.

 

[Cherlyn]

Quote:
See, that is what I thought. But I have yet to see a raccoon here in England. Think I will do some research. All of the babies were sleeping.

~Cherlyn

 

[Tala]

Set a live trap baited with cat food, see what you catch.

If it's a hungry cat you'll catch it, and raccoons love cat food as well, so either way you get your predator.

 

[Cherlyn]

Quote:
Hm, good idea. Very new to this, though - where would I get a live trap?

~Cherlyn

 

[Tala]

http://www.havahart.com/store/live-animal-traps/1079

TSC, your local feed store, some hardware stores, Lowes Home Improvement, etc. I'm not sure what stores you have there.
Sometimes you can rent/borrow them from your local animal control too.

 

[redhen]

What about a weasel? When mine were attacked by a weasel..a few were missing their heads..
Sorry about your babies!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Sounds like a racoon kill to me also. I have never had a cat kill a sleeping chick...they usually stalk them during the daytime. Always a first though.

Racoons almost always bite the heads off. Let us know what you catch.

So sorry for your losses.

 

[Cherlyn]

Quote:
Wondering about that as well. As long as I keep the coops shut up at night, I think I will be fine.

Whatever predator it is, why is it going for the littlest chicks? I have full-grown chickens in there as well, and they are not touched.

~Cherlyn

 

[Cherlyn]

Quote:
I thought that at first, but there are no wild raccoons in England. *scratching head*

~Cherlyn