What is killing my chicks??

[Kippenboertje]

Sorry you are having these troubles. Here is a video showing how quick a mink can clean out a rat population. And you may have more rats than you realize.

Wow, I wish we had someone like him here. Unfortunately I've never heard of rentamink.nl

 

[Kippenboertje]

Could you show us where all the killing happened and the area?

Yes, I will make some pictures this weekend.

 

[Stepnout]

Sadly what I was trying to point out is a WILD MINK if one has taken over the rat tunnels you have would also kill CHICKENS. If not your problem may very well be the RAT population.
As mentioned the picture although gruesome would/might help identify the culprit.

 

[aart]

Sorry you are having these troubles. Here is a video showing how quick a mink can clean out a rat population. And you may have more rats than you realize.

That's fascinating....good examples of how a wild mink can use rat tunnels.
Will look more into this guy.
Reminds me of another guy who had pack of jack russells and other terriers to hunt rats.

 

[Folly's place]

Both rats and weasels will kill birds at night, and can get through tunnels and tight places. "If you see one rat, there are dozens, or more"!
Fix the tunnel situation; here, I applied hardware cloth, fixed to the framing, and covered it with rubber stall mats, as used in horse stalls. A poured concrete floor would be great!
Only poison, carefully placed out there to be unavailable to the birds, will get all the rats!
You might be able to trap a weasel in a live trap.
Mary

 

[Birdsong 82]

What predators are common where you live. Once most predators have great chicken dinner the will come back I’m sorry for loss

 

[cmom]

Do you have a game camera you can put up? That is how I found out what was killing my birds.

 

[frostic]

Sorry you are having these troubles. Here is a video showing how quick a mink can clean out a rat population. And you may have more rats than you realize.

WOW thats awesome. glad we don't got rats like that here in california. i had a mole but my chickens ate it lol

 

[MissChick@dee]

Rats. Can you borrow a live trap bate it with canned cat food. If you see one rat figure you have at least 20 or especially this time of year they breed like crazy.

 

[frostic]

does the coop/run have a roof? some animals can and will climb a fence to get in.
my run/coop has a roof because we got hawks where i live and they always around but cant get in.