Help! Chicks being eaten! (Warning: Graphic Photos)

[Plarch]

For the fourth time in about a month or so, one of my chicks has been eaten by something! The victims all tend to be around six to ten weeks old. Please help me ID the culprit!


There were feathers strewn about everywhere.

More feathers and some blood. Looks like whatever got him cornered him in the dog crate I had lying around.

This is where it starts to get graphic. There's really nothing left but some feathers and bone.

I know it's gross, but I had to get a good shot of the body. Don't worry, I wore gloves and cleaned up afterwards. You can see that there's nothing left but bone. One wing is is the only limb missing and the head is still intact. I'm not sure what could strip it down to the bone in one night. Whatever's doing it must be starving!
There was also another chick dead in the coop. His neck appeared to be broken, and no part of him was eaten. The adult chickens weren't targeted, which is strange because they're all bantams and just barely bigger than these chicks. The poor guys were eaten right in the coop, no one was moved.

I appreciate any help you guys might give me, and apologize if anyone was offended by the photos.

 

[lreider]

Wow, poor Chickie. What kind of natural predators do you have in your area? Check for signs of entry around your coop. My brother had a fox getting into his chicken coop via a small hole.

 

[DanasChicks]

Hi Plarch,

I am not certain, but by the looks of the amount of space between the bars on your cage that several types of predators can get your chicks. Rats, Possums, Snakes, but I would suspect this is a raccoon. You may need to purchase some hardware cloth, which has very tiny openings, the size of the tip of your finger in order to prevent further deaths. You can easily attach the hardware cloth (they call it that, but it is actually wire) to the inside or outside of the existing cage. This will stop a predator from sticking it's arm in the cage grabbing a chick. Once they have a hold of the chick they will eat it right there if they can't pull the chick out and some predators can flatten their body enough to crawl in the cage itself to get your chickens. What do you have for flooring? If nothing, you can put hardware cloth on the floor of the cage as well.

I hope that helps. Sorry for your losses.

 

[outdoorschick91]

I also suggest the hardware cloth. I had a fox problem where I lost 2 of my feathered friends and since I have put up the hardware cloth the rest of my flock have been safe and sound. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Plarch]

Wow, poor Chickie. What kind of natural predators do you have in your area? Check for signs of entry around your coop. My brother had a fox getting into his chicken coop via a small hole.

We've got possums and raccoons, and maybe some foxes. We're pretty far east. There didn't seem to be any sign of a break in. Our coop door is usually open, but I'll have to change that until I catch this thing.

 

[Plarch]

Hi Plarch,

I am not certain, but by the looks of the amount of space between the bars on your cage that several types of predators can get your chicks. Rats, Possums, Snakes, but I would suspect this is a raccoon. You may need to purchase some hardware cloth, which has very tiny openings, the size of the tip of your finger in order to prevent further deaths. You can easily attach the hardware cloth (they call it that, but it is actually wire) to the inside or outside of the existing cage. This will stop a predator from sticking it's arm in the cage grabbing a chick. Once they have a hold of the chick they will eat it right there if they can't pull the chick out and some predators can flatten their body enough to crawl in the cage itself to get your chickens. What do you have for flooring? If nothing, you can put hardware cloth on the floor of the cage as well.

I hope that helps. Sorry for your losses.

Hi!
The cage in their coop was used for something else, the chickens don't go in there! I will remove it, though, since it makes such a great place to corner the poor chicks. I will look into the hardware cloth, though. I'm sure it'll be useful for something. The floor inside the coop is concrete, so whatever is getting them is getting in through the run attached to it, somehow. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Plarch]

I also suggest the hardware cloth. I had a fox problem where I lost 2 of my feathered friends and since I have put up the hardware cloth the rest of my flock have been safe and sound. Sorry for your loss.

We don't get many foxes around here, but I'll definitely try the hardware cloth since it's so popular! Thanks!

 

[lreider]

Sorry have been out of loop. Internet troubles. Hope these suggestions have helped you.

 

[aart]

Weasel. Any hole bigger than 3/4"-1" can give them access. The smaller birds are just easier to catch.

 

[Plarch]

Update:
Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I've taken out the dog crate and tightened some loose areas around the coop. We'll see what happens from here, and maybe in the next few weeks I'll set up a camera to see if I can catch anything in the act. Finger crossed!