Suspicious hen death and missing chick

[MamaJamba]

Hey all—

Came home this evening to a dead mama hen (buff Cochin if that matters) and her only chick (hatched out 10 days ago) is missing. She was in the back corner of the coop (a corner the chickens never go to) behind the nesting boxes, facing the wall—she was already stiff and cold. No obvious signs of trauma upon my brief inspection (waiting to look again until the morning so I have daylight and my husband will be home to help me). Once removing her, I checked on all my other chickens and counted all my other new chicks (I had three broody mamas hatch out at same time). Her chick is the only one missing. The chickens were left in their fenced area today since I was going to be gone all day. We have a guardian dog and have never lost a chicken under suspicious circumstances. I looked all around and see no signs of the missing chick or a struggle (lots of feathers or something similar). The only thing I can imagine is a hawk got her baby and she died from some sort of injury or stress? The fact that she went to hide in the dark corner of the coop lets me know something traumatic happened to her. Her and her chick were the easiest targets out of our entire flock of 33. I know it’s impossible to say what happened but if anyone with experience can give me some probable causes I would appreciate it. I have been desperate for cameras on my animals but haven’t been sure how to go about that and this might just be the push I needed to get serious about surveillance. TIA.

 

[TOR]

Get a game camera. Not knowing what predators you have or area you live makes it hard to tell. You could look at dead hen and look for bites at back of neck head area, small bites...weasel family.
Sorry for loss.

 

[MamaJamba]

I was able to spend some time looking over the dead hen today and found a good deal of bruising on her upper breast area, around the right wing, around the joints of where her feet connect to her legs, and near the back of her underside leading up to her vent area. This is the area of her breast for reference. Could it have been a snake? I spoke
my husband about moving some of our game cameras to the coop area. Also, sorry I forgot to mention in original post, but we are in a rural NorthEast Alabama area on approx 40 acres surrounded by woods and few neighbors who also have livestock.

 

[TOR]

Maybe someone chime in, I dont have any experience with snakes. Hopefully your game camera will come up with something. Does not look like any bite marke though.Something get around it and suffocate the bird?

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Hey all—

Came home this evening to a dead mama hen (buff Cochin if that matters) and her only chick (hatched out 10 days ago) is missing. She was in the back corner of the coop (a corner the chickens never go to) behind the nesting boxes, facing the wall—she was already stiff and cold. No obvious signs of trauma upon my brief inspection (waiting to look again until the morning so I have daylight and my husband will be home to help me). Once removing her, I checked on all my other chickens and counted all my other new chicks (I had three broody mamas hatch out at same time). Her chick is the only one missing. The chickens were left in their fenced area today since I was going to be gone all day. We have a guardian dog and have never lost a chicken under suspicious circumstances. I looked all around and see no signs of the missing chick or a struggle (lots of feathers or something similar). The only thing I can imagine is a hawk got her baby and she died from some sort of injury or stress? The fact that she went to hide in the dark corner of the coop lets me know something traumatic happened to her. Her and her chick were the easiest targets out of our entire flock of 33. I know it’s impossible to say what happened but if anyone with experience can give me some probable causes I would appreciate it. I have been desperate for cameras on my animals but haven’t been sure how to go about that and this might just be the push I needed to get serious about surveillance. TIA.

I had a snake eating my babies one year, and an ermine the next. The ermine (tiny weasel) was harder to catch and kill than the snake. Smart little suckers! I started closing my hens and chicks into smaller, predator proof cages at night. The babies are like bait!
And yeah. I got cameras. Ugh. Otherwise i would've never known.

 

[TOR]

read ratsnakes are common in Alabama as other places in the south, may be other types snakes.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I don't think it was a snake, considering your hen is a good size. How mother and baby went missing around the same time, I would think it could be a weasel. Game camera's will help to know.
I'm sorry for your losses.
Maybe setting a live trap, aka Critter Getter around my house, and seeing what you catch. If the animal is legally allowed to be relocated, relocate it, if not I would shoot it.
Animals like raccoons and skunks can't be relocated in my area.