What killed my chick

[lylepday923]

I found one of my 3 week old chicks dead inside the coop. There was nothing left but bones. The whole thing was still intact. Only a small predator could have gotten inside. What animal would pick one clean like that and leave the bones?

 

[nchls school]

I found one of my 3 week old chicks dead inside the coop. There was nothing left but bones. The whole thing was still intact. Only a small predator could have gotten inside. What animal would pick one clean like that and leave the bones?

Intact! Do you have fire ants or other insects-arachnids (scorpions) that would kill a chick. I do not know about a scorpion but fire ants will do as you describe. I do not think there is any animal that can strip a skeleton clean and leave the skeleton intact.

Most people do not think of insects as predators, but the are/can be.

 

[Flockincrazy]

fire ants or Beatles

 

[RRM]

Intact! Do you have fire ants or other insects-arachnids (scorpions) that would kill a chick. I do not know about a scorpion but fire ants will do as you describe. I do not think there is any animal that can strip a skeleton clean and leave the skeleton intact.

Most people do not think of insects as predators, but the are/can be.

Yes fire ants will strip to the bone quickly. Anytime we “euthanize” a copperhead in the yard we’ll stir up a fire ant mound and place the dispatched on it. By the next day there is nothing left but the skeleton.

 

[aart]

I found one of my 3 week old chicks dead inside the coop. There was nothing left but bones. The whole thing was still intact. Only a small predator could have gotten inside. What animal would pick one clean like that and leave the bones?

Sorry for your loss must have been Gruesome, but....
Got a pic of remains @lylepday923 ?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[lylepday923]

Sorry for your loss must have been Gruesome, but....
Got a pic of remains @lylepday923 ?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2230359

I wish I had taken a picture of the remains. I guess the bones weren’t completely clean. The head was not bitten. Eyes were there. The ribs I think we’re gone. The rest of the skeleton was there still put together but a little messy. Wing and tail feathers still there and attached. I live in West Virginia so it wasn’t fire ants. I think now It was probably a rat. Thanks for your response. My poor chickens didn’t want to go back to their coop last night. They never do that. I left a rat trap that was tripped this morning but no catch. I’ve got the little one safe so that can’t happen again. We live fairly close to a river so I’m guessing maybe it came from there for the chicken feed. Ugh! It was the sweetest, friendliest little Dominique chick.

 

[aart]

I left a rat trap that was tripped this morning but no catch.

Put the bait end of trap against a wall or other vertical surface at least 8" high.
Bait trap trigger with a sunflower seed or piece of corn jammed tight into the trigger.