vanishing chicks

[chickenfan]

Yesterday afternoon I mysteriously lost a chick from its covered coop, and today at mid-day I have just lost another one (heard it happen this time but didn't manage to see what it was. I now just have two chicks left. Mother hen was separated as she had a respiratory infection. She is now much better, but after several days separation I don't think I can put her back with the chicks. What can be taking them during the daytime? There is a small 1.5 "gap in the top of the coop, so I have now moved the chicks, but feel they are very vulnerable without a mother. Could it be a rat/stoat/mink/crow? I haven't seen any rats, but my garden is right onto woodland and a small stream.

 

[Marigold]

It could well be a stoat or a weasel, Chickenfan. Could you perhaps make a brood box for them and have them indoors in safety until they get bigger?

 

[chickenfan]

Thank you Marigold. I have various other chicks, including some of 5 weeks old without a mother hen. Have you any idea how big they need to be to be safe from a stoat? Will a bantam mother hen be able to defend her chicks from a stoat?

 

[chrismahon]

1.5" gap is truly massive when it comes to protecting chicks. Ours are protected by 12mm weld mesh and there are no gaps bigger than that anywhere in the run structure. Could easily be a rat and that would be my guess Chickenfan. Think you used up all your good luck during hatching and incubation and this whole exercise has been a very steep learning curve for you, as it was for us first time. Hope the last two survive and are not cockerels. Pleased to hear 'mother' hen is doing well.

 

[chickenfan]

Hi Chris,

Yes, I stupidly forgot about the c1" gap in the roof. Have you not had any predators? My reading is that predators can get through a half inch (12mm) gap too, but this is too small to drag the chick out, so probably works. I am absolutely wretched about the whole thing. I have spent ages doing my best for these particular chicks. They were hatched from my own birds, so very special to me. The remaining two look like cockerels.