What took my chick?

[robyn8]

We lost a chick to a predator the other day. Here are the stats:
8x8 coop, 8x12 covered run with hardware cloth sides, 18 x 24 "pasture" with no top and 5 ft tall chicken wire sides connected by chicken door to run. The pasture is new just this past week. We have 3 hens, one who had 5 chicks (now 4) that are about 4 weeks old, and 5 pullets and 2 cockerels about 4 months old.

Something took a chick while we were at work the other day. husband came home and everyone was in coop which is very unusual and one baby was missing. We though hawk at first, but then remembered this feral cat that's been hanging around. we saw her again and scared her off with a shot gun.

Then the next day there was a huge ruckus in the pasture while I was home and I ran out there. Everyone was in the coop again except mama hen and babies who were cowering in a corner of the pasture near the run. All the hens were making quite a racket. I got mama and babies in run and shut the chicken door. No one left the coop the rest of the day. we have a Pyr, but he's only 8 months old and not really a LSG. He's more a farm / family dog but we were hoping he'd help keep the chickens safe while out during the day.

I'm thinking it was a hawk now. Are we totally dumb to let them hang out in the pasture when we aren't home? they are on lock down for now. we're going to add some hidey holes to the pasture mostly for the babies, but also a bigger one on the far end for the bigs in case they are too far to run to the coop.

 

[barred2rock]

Any chance it could have been the dog?

 

[robyn8]

I could have been a dog the first time I suppose but the second time I think I would have seen it running away. It would have had to jump a 5 ft fence and so I think I would have seen it getting back over. And do you think a dog would have just stopped at one little chick?

 

[barred2rock]

I could have been a dog the first time I suppose but the second time I think I would have seen it running away. It would have had to jump a 5 ft fence and so I think I would have seen it getting back over. And do you think a dog would have just stopped at one little chick?

I was referring to your dog, but you make a good point. There probably would have been evidence of the dog chasing the other birds; same as with the cat.

 

[TwinsLoveChicks]

I've had problems with snakes taking 4 week old babies before. Could that have been it?

 

[barred2rock]

I've had problems with snakes taking 4 week old babies before. Could that have been it?

I thought of snakes too, but I'd think he would have seen it when he ran out there.

 

[TwinsLoveChicks]

I don't know then. I've had babies disappear suddenly too, but only from snakes.

 

[Ming Ming]

it could have been a snake, can fit in the tiniest of holes and can swallow a baby in very little time

 

[Ming Ming]

and make a very quick get away

 

[robyn8]

Oh no my dog was in the house when the chick was lost. A snake is a possibility. We're in MI and I don't think we have snakes that big. And I don't think it could have gotten under the fence with the chick inside it. There's wood all around the bottom with some small gaps but not big enough for a chick to fit through. Hmm juries still out I guess.