The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: shrekfeet on November 17, 2009, 11:55:59 am
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Will rats take 2 week old hen chicks? I had 14 until yesterday when I had 13 and today I counted 12. Bugger! No sign of any carcass and they do stay with the mother hen but I guess she would not be able to protect them in the middle of the night. I don't want to end up with 11 tomorrow so need to act today - what can I do?
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Yes and so will magpies if they can get in! I use a rabbit run for the first few weeks as I lost 4 out of 6 to magpies!
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Yes rats will certainly take chickies, i lost two out of 4 in one night right out from under the mother bird, we now use a rabbit hutch to keep them in solong as the mesh is the small strong square type,
good luck with the rest
Cameron
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Never lost chicks to rats, but they took some ducklings once. We always keep our chicks in a raised up rabbit hutch, or plastic barrel covered in mesh, to stop them.