We have lost about 25 chicks in the last couple of weeks. They do o.k. during the daytime but when we go to feed in the morning some will be missing with no trace of them anywhere. We are down to 3 chicks now. We have raised chicks in one of our horse stalls for years because that is where the hens seem to always lays the eggs. We have never had a problem in the past. Tonight I went out to check on them and found one laying dead in the stall with severe head injuries. We keep the horses locked out of the stall so there is no way it could have been steped on. The baby chicks have been sleeping on the ground and the hen gets up on the stall wall. I have notice rats out there at night and am wondering if anyone has ever heard of a rat killing a 3 week old chick? After years of rasing chickens this is a new problem to me and would appreciate any advice.

Rats will definitely kill them but I am surprised they are coming up missing. I've had rats kill chicks but I found them dead in the morning. They didn't disappear. I wonder if something else is carrying yours off?

Hopefully somebody else will chime in with a thought on this. You might give an idea of what region you live in so others can relate to what kinds of varmints you might have.

Susie

The best bets are 1. weasels, 2. raccoons, 3. snakes, 4. possums, 5. cats, 6. owls. Rats could be doing this also, and you can assume that, since you saw one, there are many more about.

Put your group in a predator-proof pen. But if your pen sets on the floor, rats can tunnel up through the dirt to get to them. It's odd that the hen would leave her chicks on the ground at night. Maybe she has been bothered by the rats and moves up to be safe from them.