What could kill 4 week old chicks? (Pictures of injuries)

[chickenmomma16]

I had my 4 week old chicks in a 4ft high fenced area, I debated to cover the top or not but I had nothing I could use and what was going to get in? A Robin? They were so happy to be on their first field trip! So I went inside for a bit and I looked out and noticed I needed to shift the pen for more shade. When I got out to the pen one chick was dead and one is hanging on inside with me now but I'm doubtful he will make it unless the bleeding under the skin stops soon.
Could a Robin do something like this??? We have a lot of them around but I never thought of them as a threat.
I have had the worst luck with my chickens this last month!!! First a poor hatch, then a wandering dog killed 2 hens, a rooster randomly was found dead in the coop, and now my chicks!

 

[Kiki]

I'm so sorry you have having this problem.
I'm not sure what got in your pen, but beware what ever it was will be back.
You may want to rethink covering it.
Pretty much and predator can climb.

 

[imnukensc]

I don't know what killed/attacked your chicks, but I can tell you it wasn't a robin. I can also tell you that an uncovered, 4 foot high fence is not only not going to keep chickens in, it isn't going to keep anything out.

 

[jvls1942]

do you own a cat ?
I can't believe a wild animal would just kill them and not eat them.
a weasel would, but usually it would try to drag them away.
were any of them lying with their neck through the fince wires ?
I am betting either your cat or a neighbor's cat..

........jiminwisc......

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Definitely not a robin.

Could be a small dog or cat, though.

Sorry to hear of your losses...that's not fun.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I don't know what killed/attacked your chicks, but I can tell you it wasn't a robin. I can also tell you that an uncovered, 4 foot high fence is not only not going to keep chickens in, it isn't going to keep anything out.

I'm well aware 4ft won't keep a full grown chicken in. This was a temporary pen set outside on the grass 5 ft from the shed that the brooder is in for 4 Week old chicks. My adults are in a cattle panel hoop run with 1/2 in hardware cloth.

 

[chickenmomma16]

do you own a cat ?
I can't believe a wild animal would just kill them and not eat them.
a weasel would, but usually it would try to drag them away.
were any of them lying with their neck through the fince wires ?
I am betting either your cat or a neighbor's cat..

........jiminwisc......

No cats. My dog was out and he will run a cat up the tree quick. The fence was not moved so it has to be a bird.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Here is a couple more pictures, first of the size of all the wounds (on the dead chick), then of the surviving chick. The wounds are all the same size and randomly located on the body of the chicks. Nothing on the neck but the serving chick has a wound on his head.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I found this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-the-first-time-when-a-robin-attacked.336595/

Sounds like it could be a similar situation to mine. I'm not joking when I say we have a lot of Robins around.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

It was probably some bird of prey. A hawk.