Weird dead chicks.

[happybooker1]

They have an 5'x8' secure coop + nest boxes on one side. The "old wood" is pallets that need to be replaced. But they didn't get out today either!

 

[Binki]

Just throwing this out there, could it be from a snake squeezing in and then not being able to swallow what it kills? Have read about this kill pattern before.

Might explain why they're wet and squished and also how a such predator could get in and even hide in your coop?

 

[bobbi-j]

Just throwing this out there, could it be from a snake squeezing in and then not being able to swallow what it kills? Have read about this kill pattern before.

Might explain why they're wet and squished and also how a such predator could get in and even hide in your coop?

That could be... I don't have chicken killing snakes here, so they're never on my radar.

 

[happybooker1]

I actually thought that at the first. However I wondered -- can a snake regurgitate something it's already 1/3 to 1/2 swallowed??

Also, both losses were during the day -- not night. Thankfully no losses in over 24 hours!!

 

[Binki]

I actually thought that at the first. However I wondered -- can a snake regurgitate something it's already 1/3 to 1/2 swallowed??

Also, both losses were during the day -- not night. Thankfully no losses in over 24 hours!!

It's possible, a lot of snakes hunt during the day and can get into insanely tiny cracks and holes.

Can they regurgitate? Yes, they will try swallowing head first so prey legs don't get caught around mouth, but if they can't get over the widest part they can't get it down and will spit it back out. The wet and squished birds reminded me of another persons story with their quail

I've also seen a video of a snake regurgitate an entire baby hippo when humans were harassing it. Was nuts!

As far as I know most snakes don't have great eyesight and rely mostly on smell, especially if they're shedding because then their eyes gets foggy. So could be your birds smelled great and were easy to kill but then he couldn't consume it hence another kill shortly thereafter to try and get a feed.

My guess is that any other predator like a weasel would have killed them all at once and the panic would have caused more bird damage/feather loss.

Maybe give the coop another once over from a small snake point of view, again it's possibly he's hidden in there still. Not sure if you could find any snake droppings in/around the coop?

Again just a guess - seems most likely scenario to me glad you didn't have any losses in the last 24 hours !

 

[happybooker1]

I had another bird loss Monday AM (same situation) when I went to let them out. SO..... my solution has been to put the small brooder into the coop and shut them up in that each night. Yes they're crowded but until I can give the coop a GOOD thorough once-over, they'll have to deal with it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh no! So sorry to hear you lost another one

That's a good solution, better to be a bit cramped and secure than to have more losses.
I was reading the previous posts, could be a snake. Not sure to how to go about trapping those, but I bet if someone has done it, you can Google it.

I usually leave all my black and king snakes alone, but those mean little, sneaky garter snakes get the hoe

 

[Wyorp Rock]

O.k. let me re-think my previous post

Not 30mins went by after that post, I went out and there was a large black snake at my well house This is next to my coop - it had a bulge so had eaten something (mouse/bird). Got him up, to him to the back property and released him by the big creek.

Hour later...ANOTHER black snake, this one different, even bigger coming up near the pump house...Tried to catch him, too fast, went under the deck, will have to wait for round two with him.

A little while later ANOTHER black snake at my shed this one smaller, got him and he was deposited at the creek as well.

I may re-think the whole thing, if they keep coming, I'm getting out my hoe!

 

[bobbi-j]

O.k. let me re-think my previous post

Not 30mins went by after that post, I went out and there was a large black snake at my well house This is next to my coop - it had a bulge so had eaten something (mouse/bird). Got him up, to him to the back property and released him by the big creek.

Hour later...ANOTHER black snake, this one different, even bigger coming up near the pump house...Tried to catch him, too fast, went under the deck, will have to wait for round two with him.

A little while later ANOTHER black snake at my shed this one smaller, got him and he was deposited at the creek as well.

I may re-think the whole thing, if they keep coming, I'm getting out my hoe!

Wow! Do you have a den close by, perchance? I think I'd start eliminating them. I don't know about snakes, but I know other animals will come back even when released miles away.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Wow! Do you have a den close by, perchance? I think I'd start eliminating them. I don't know about snakes, but I know other animals will come back even when released miles away.

I'm surrounded by a combination of woods, field, orchards and 2 creeks Probably a den somewhere, we've had a LOT of rain, so the field and creeks have been flooded a bit.
I would say they might make their way back. I had one living in my shed for about 10yrs, but when I got chickens I dispatched him. He was HUGE - no lie at least 10' long. I felt sort of bad...he had been here so long, but I don't think he would have even had to open his mouth to swallow chick.

I have juveniles this year, so I'm a bit more cautious I suppose, got to thinking about this thread when I saw that first one today. My adults, just watch a snake if it comes near, I think they would shred it to pieces.