free-range chicks dying randomly?

[Anonymous__]

I have 5 - 10 week old egyptian fayoumis and brown leghorns chicks who free-range. I've heard these breeds are suppose to be great free-rangers but some have died without any sign of sickness, attack, or anything. I let them roam around when I'm outside but if I turn my back for a few minutes one or two sometimes disappear without a trace. I tried waiting and watching from a distance but nothing came by. The other chicks don't seem to have noticed it and just keep foraging. Yesterday I found another one of my fayoumis dead in their coop without any marks next to where the others sleep though I'm not sure if this death was related to the others. I have a livestock guardian dog and barn cats (both of which are trained to be with the chicks and chickens and wouldn't hurt them) but it seems like predators are still sneaking by. I had the same problem with chicks disappearing last summer before I got a LGD and cats, too. My cats have killed rats and garter snakes and my LGD has scared off all the other bigger predators so I'm not sure what it could be. Does anyone know what could be happening to them? Any guesses with reasoning would be very appreciated!

 

[mcdze]

no idea .. predators generally rip them up so that should be obvious .. id be sure they arnt getting into poison, if somebody might have rat poison out for instance .. and its hot out there, at least here, be sure they have access to shade and plenty of water ..

 

[McChooky]

Fair to say a predator killing chickens if they're disappearing but if you're finding them dead with no obvious injury they could have a disease or be poisoned . Sending their bodies off may be the only way you'll find the cause of death.

 

[nuthatched]

They're being picked off by predators because they're too small yet to be out without supervision. They need full access feed and shelter right now, they can free range more ssuccessfully once they're full grown

 

[Anonymous__]

I know that it likely is a predator and I don't have any rat poison or traps (I have cats for that). I think it might be a poisonous bug or spider since the cats have't eaten it. One of my brown leghorns also became paralyzed for a minute and was flapping like it was dying but after a while he was running around with the rest of the flock. I was wondering if anyone else was having this problem and manged to figure out what the cause was?

 

[McChooky]

I have 5 - 10 week old egyptian fayoumis and brown leghorns chicks who free-range. I've heard these breeds are suppose to be great free-rangers but some have died without any sign of sickness, attack, or anything. I let them roam around when I'm outside but if I turn my back for a few minutes one or two sometimes disappear without a trace. I tried waiting and watching from a distance but nothing came by. The other chicks don't seem to have noticed it and just keep foraging. Yesterday I found another one of my fayoumis dead in their coop without any marks next to where the others sleep though I'm not sure if this death was related to the others. I have a livestock guardian dog and barn cats (both of which are trained to be with the chicks and chickens and wouldn't hurt them) but it seems like predators are still sneaking by. I had the same problem with chicks disappearing last summer before I got a LGD and cats, too. My cats have killed rats and garter snakes and my LGD has scared off all the other bigger predators so I'm not sure what it could be. Does anyone know what could be happening to them? Any guesses with reasoning would be very appreciated!

Free ranging chicks is risky business and rarely successful . Chicks usually get picked off one by one until you have none.

 

[Anonymous__]

They're being picked off by predators because they're too small yet to be out without supervision. They need full access feed and shelter right now, they can free range more ssuccessfully once they're full grown

I know free-ranging has risks but I've read that the younger the chicks get used to the outdoors the better the chance they have to survive when they are adults. Also, please keep this discussion on topic. I am trying to find what is taking the chicks and I don't want to argue about what the perfect way to raise chicks is because everyone has their own opinions about it. I am keeping them in the coop for a week to see if the predator moves on but I don't intend for them to be indoor chickens or locked in a coop forever because they really like being outdoors and they have a lot more to do out their than in coop and run.

 

[nuthatched]

I know free-ranging has risks but I've read that the younger the chicks get used to the outdoors the better the chance they have to survive when they are adults. Also, please keep this discussion on topic. I am trying to find what is taking the chicks and I don't want to argue about what the perfect way to raise chicks is because everyone has their own opinions about it. I am keeping them in the coop for a week to see if the predator moves on but I don't intend for them to be indoor chickens or locked in a coop forever because they really like being outdoors and they have a lot more to do out their than in coop and run.

I'm sorry, I thought keeping your birds alive was the topic since thats what you're asking for help with. Whatever you've read is false, they're too young and snack sized yet for free ranging. Nobody here is arguing, I'm giving you my experienced and researched advice on something you may have not thought of.
They're growing right now and need more nutrition than they can find with freeranging.

 

[Anonymous__]

Someone did an experiment on BYC and found out chicks raised outside thrive better and gain better life skills. They compared their adult free-range flock to their indoor raised adult flock and their free-range flock never got picked off by predators while their indoor raised flock did. Also, Nuthatched, I posted this thread to figure out who was taking my chicks, I apologize. I think I posted in the wrong section.

 

[Whiskybear]

The ones disappearing could be taken by any number of things. As to those found dead without marks… Have you looked over their range for poisonous plants? Jimson, belladonna, etc…?