Hello,

Since 2017, my brother left his native chickens with me and when they lay and hatch, it is very difficult to have at least 5 chicks grow into adult chickens because something always kill them.

I do not think it is snake (the snake we had has been killed or locked up in its shelter inside our fence by cementing the holes) because if it were, it would have killed the hens and cocks we have had but this particular predator usually attacks the chicks.

Our compound is big enough for them to survive and by now we are supposed to have had nothing less than 100 chickens but that is not the case because they keep dying before maturity.

I am a rookie when it comes to this and I will appreciate it. By Today Thursday, I plan to buy DDS chemical and spray in the compound while I lock them in their cage cos one of the chics which was healthy yesterday died at the entrance of their cage and I felt so heart broken because I lost 7 new chics (4 died inside their cage in one night/day) within a week of being let out of their cage after being hatched.

Please help with possible solution.

If they are having physical Injury, then check on shrew(long mouthed rat). They can finish new born chick without mercy .

Rats!
Those ones with pointed mouth. That blood sucking demon only attack the small chicks.
Solution
Cover the hen together with her chicks with a basket once they retire in the evening & place sth heavy like stone on top. Do this as early as possible, anytime from 6:30 till daybreak. Continue covering them until they are strong enough to fly (4-5 months)
Talking from experience

Kenoxman:
Rats!
Those ones with pointed mouth. That blood sucking demon only attack the small chicks.
Solution
Cover the hen together with her chicks with a basket once they retire in the evening & place sth heavy like stone on top. Do this as early as possible, anytime from 6:30 till daybreak. Continue covering them until they are strong enough to fly (4-5 months)
Talking from experience

Thank you. I will do as you say.

Mutemenot:
If they are having physical Injury, then check on shrew(long mouthed rat). They can finish new born chick without mercy .

in the past deaths, I have seen head chewed but the current ones, nothing like that.

mypains:
in the past deaths, I have seen head chewed but the current ones, nothing like that.

Apply this method whether you have new born chicken.. get a good sized case or clean dries pen, place them there and feed them with foreign feed.. let them grow in the confinement to a level they can stand the challenges in roaming around the compound .. you can treat their water also... it's possible they get contact with poisoned substances as they roam

Mutemenot:


Apply this method whether you have new born chicken.. get a good sized case or clean dries pen, place them there and feed them with foreign feed.. let them grow in the confinement to a level they can stand the challenges in roaming around the compound .. you can treat their water also... it's possible they get contact with poisoned substances as they roam

thanks. But does that dds chemical help in chasing away the rat?

mypains:
thanks. But does that dds chemical help in chasing away the rat?

If it's rat, using a good cage will save the chicken from them.. I had the experience growing up. 1 shrew can kill 10 chicken in a night .. so use the case so they can grow to a bigger size before you release them it 'll even make the hen to lay egg quicker since u 'll separate the chick from her

Mutemenot:


If it's rat, using a good cage will save the chicken from them.. I had the experience growing up. 1 shrew can kill 10 chicken in a night .. so use the case so they can grow to a bigger size before you release them it 'll even make the hen to lay egg quicker since u 'll separate the chick from her

thanks... Will... I will block every too

Might be cat or fox

Small kids around ur compound are suspects too

Speaking from experience

chigomiced:
Might be cat or fox

Small kids around ur compound are suspects too

Speaking from experience

I live alone in the house but the land is big.

Just yesterday, I decided to move them out to another place so I can spray chemicals, I check today and found one chick dead inside where I kept them.

I have decided that whatever it is must kicked out from the compound.