What is killing my chicks??

[Fcarter]

I need help. Have lost 2 chick's in the past 2 nights. Both have had severe head trauma and have been gutted. We have motion lights, have not seen any rat holes/droppings, etc. We have double netting and a cover secured to the top. None has been torn. I set a trap last night but caught nothing. One poor chick was so traumatized this morning that she jumped on my husband's shoe and wouldn't get off. What is eating my chicks and what can I do? I have 4 pens and only 1 is being raided. Thanks.

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry for your losses. Can you take a picture of your pens? What type of stuff do you mean by netting?

 

[2000096904]

I'm really sorry for your loss but I was hoping you could help me? I have a batch of 24 eggs in the incubator right now and we were not expecting to get these let's just say I went away for a week and the eggs somehow got hidden and they were sat on and in the summer heat they of course were fertilized and got growth so now I have some unwanted eggs and I do not have the resources to take care of the chicks that come out of them. You have lost some chicks you probably were going to use them for something.I was hoping that you could take in the chicks that hatch when they do hatch because you know you already have chicks and that means you probably have the resources. I don't know how many will be hatching but I can keep you updated if you could come and get them that would be great!

 

[2000096904]

Well if you have a rooster I would also say that might be what's killing your chicks. This is the most likely answer if both of the chicks are males. Other than that Depending on the type of netting that you have weasels and rats and ferrets might be able to slip in and kill your chicks.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Could be a weasel. They can get into very small places. One of my neighbors who also raises chickens lost about 10 to a weasel.

How old are your chicks? Do you know if you have weasels in your area?

 

[2000096904]

Measles in my area but I do have rats and about my chicks they haven't exactly hatched yet but I know that they are going to hatch or at least some of them will so that's all I can give you but I can also give you the fact that all of them are going to be half Austria White

 

[2000096904]

Could be a weasel. They can get into very small places. One of my neighbors who also raises chickens lost about 10 to a weasel.

How old are your chicks? Do you know if you have weasels in your area?

Measles in my area but I do have rats and about my chicks they haven't exactly hatched yet but I know that they are going to hatch or at least some of them will so that's all I can give you but I can also give you the fact that all of them are going to be half Austria White

Oh my God my phone what I meant to say was that I have no weasels in my area. We do have rats and the eggs have not hatched yet so there is no age but all of the chicks will be half Austria White

 

[Fcarter]

I'm sorry for your losses. Can you take a picture of your pens? What type of stuff do you mean by netting?

We have the a frame to block the sun with bird netting pulled tight and secured over the entire pen. There is also some Hardwire in place. Picture attached is so very good.

 

[Fcarter]

We have the a frame to block the sun with bird netting pulled tight and secured over the entire pen. There is also some Hardwire in place. Picture attached is so very good.

Pict. is not so very good I meant.

 

[Fcarter]

Pict. is not so very good I meant.