What the heck is going on?

[kneit099]

Saturday night we lost all but 3 of my grown birds, 3 Cubalaya(including my rooster

) and 20 of my Orphingtons, and 1 of my red stars.

So we cleaned out the coop and moved my 40 babies into the coop. No problems with the 3 remaining hens bothering the chicks.

Husband went up this am to let the grown girls out and 1/2 of my babies are missing and 3 are dead in the coop. The run was closed and there are no holes ANYWHERE and no way for a coon to get in or for the chicks to get out. Mind you they were in the coop all day Sunday with out any escaping, in fact we did a head count before bed and they were all there!

I have a broody mom in her nest box that hasn't been TOUCHED! All the birds are the top perch....safe and sound and not touched.

The crappiest part is there are NO signs of dead chicks anywhere on our land.

What gives? Anyone have ideas?

 

[chicmom]

Maybe sprinkle some flour around the coop, or add a game cam, because something is going on. The flour may show you some tracks in the morning......

 

[Amy S]

So sorry to hear this!!!

Can you post a photo of your run and coop? Sometimes it's easier for a new eye to find clues in these situations.

What type of closure do you have on your run and coop? Does your coop have a lock? What type of flooring does you coop have, and have you checked for holes in floor?

 

[kneit099]

I will go get a picture for you all to see the coop/run.

Flooring at this time is the ground...but I checked all around and there is not a single hole anywhere...can't get a finger in anywhere.

So sorry to hear this!!!

Can you post a photo of your run and coop? Sometimes it's easier for a new eye to find clues in these situations.

What type of closure do you have on your run and coop? Does your coop have a lock? What type of flooring does you coop have, and have you checked for holes in floor?

 

[Amy S]

I am new to these forums, and it seems like there are a lot of birds disappearing each day. I guess it's a busy time for predators, both human and non-human. Sheesh.

My coop and run is being built as we speak, and I cannot stress enough to the guys building it....the importance of staying ahead of predators! Of course, they think I am being silly...thinking that coons can open latches, weazels can slip through cracks, and people who steal babies near Easter.

I will keep my fingers crossed that you (and other) find out what happened...and hopefully get some (if not all) of your flocks back!

 

[mazojoe]

This is in no way judging, but there is something missing in this equation. The only animal that can slip in and carry out is a coon. I had the same thing happen to me last year and I looked and looked and looked for a hole and never found anything. Then one day when walking around the coop I noticed some buckets knocked over and an slick or grease spot way up in a corner....they were basically climbing an 8 foot wall straigh up on both sides and able to carry chickens out of that hole which was about the size of a minie basketball, but just tucked way up in a dark corner.

Looking forward to seeing the pics of the coop and run.

Joe

ps come join us over at the Wisconsin (cheeseheads) thread. Many great chicken enablers over there!