The guilt is killing me!

[kateseidel]

Henrietta - not sure it helps, but I know exactly how you are feeling and how dreadful it is. When the hawk took my favorite hen, I cried for days. I am not an idiot, I understand about predators and the circle of life. But I loved that chicken like one of my children. It has been more than a year, and I am still shocked at how much I miss her. I've lost quite a few, some don't hurt as much. And I have to say, after four years, sometimes I can lose one and not feel really bad (I always feel guilty, though).

I am sure my friends think I am crazy to have such grief over chickens, but I love them, and miss them when they are gone (and no, it does not help to know that the death was a fast one...)

Hugs to you. Getting more chickens helps.

The chicken love of my life: Ethel (and some of her Wyandotte friends who I never really grieved over anyway).

 

[FarmerWife]

I think everyone is right, they aren't attracted to the smell of blood. They just have to know they're there. I've been having an awful lot of hawk troubles here, great big brown one's and coopers I think. One species is HUGE, and the other medium to large, cream colored with speckles or bars. I HATE THEM SO MUCH !! Yesterday our roo's and girls were out in the yard, when I heard one of the roo's sound the alarm. I ran out to find FIVE hawks circling the property. FIVE OF THEM. I would like nothing better than to just shoot them, but I know it's not right, and also that they are protected. Not to say I won't ever do it though. If they take one that's it. I lost a chicken to a hawk a little over a year ago, took it from where my daughter was standing. I've never seen so many try to get at them, usually it's only one, last week I had a pair. We are planting more tree's in the yard to give them more shelter come spring. I don't want to just keep them cooped up, they hate it. I know it's preferable to having dead chickens, but I don't think any animal should be caged at all times. I'm so sorry for your loss, I hope that if you get more chickens that it won't continue. There are some breeds that are more watchful than others, and will sound the alarm for the rest of the flock. I'm getting guinea fowl to also help out. They're excellent alarm systems, I'm just waiting for spring, and I'm getting them as chicks so there won't be any problems. I hope. If you don't have a cover on your coop it's going to keep happening. If you get more, give them plenty of places to run for shelter. I've seen teepees made of sticks that people have built so the chickens can run inside to get away from hawks. We have other predators, but none make it in to the yard so far, only skunks, but they can't get through the coop. We have it built like a fort for them. The more shelter you have the better. I hope you won't give up on having chickens, they're such a joy to have around. We love ALL of ours, we presently have 48 of them. Hard to keep track of at times, but we do a head count every night when we lock them up, if anyone is missing, we search until we find them, usually hiding under the honeysuckle or under the iceberg rose. That's another good thing to have. They get quite large, and have plenty of thorns, Our chickens love to camp out under ours, we have them planted next to each other so they have plenty of room to nap safely, or just hang out. I throw their scratch and treats under it so they don't feed in the open.We had a hawk try to get one of our Buff Orpington hens last month, and she ran under the iceberg rose, it flew right into the bush and was stuck for a few minutes, it was screaching , so it hurt. I hope. Also Lady Banksia rose gets HUGE. It's a home to hundreds of sparrows at our house, and we have hens go under it all the time. Just food for thought. Shelter is the best thing, someplace to hide. This was not your fault, I know how you feel. Hope you'll try again, good luck to you. Hugs.

Dianna in NM

 

[HenriettaBB]

I'm not quite sure but she was always the runt of the bunch. That hawk has been after her for a while and I insisted on keeping them inside their coop. I couldn't leave them in there forever though so I let her out and she was fine. My rooster, Roadrunner, always keeps an eye on her but today after the attacking we finally found him terrified, hiding under the house. My poor boy has nobody to be with now, and we can't get more chicks till spring. Please help me with that problem I would appreciate it. And we are building them a good, safe run because free ranging down here is just too risky.

 

[FarmerWife]

Have you joined your local freecycle? Sometimes people here post chickens, or even craigslist. You just have to be careful of who you get them from, there are some who totally neglect them, you don't want sick chickens. I hate it when they just get them and don't watch over them, they just think , oh well , they're just animals. Your poor little roo, I'm so sorry. If you have a bator, you could hatch some, but he's going to be lonely for a while, I'd try asking around, look in the paper, you might find some. I hope for your little roo's sake that you do. Good luck to you, hugs.

 

[appps]

final chickens.Gone. Lost to a hawk. Boy, I HATE them,! She was my little baby. Gone. Any words of comfort?

I'm confused why you let the final one somewhere it could be killed too. If the only safe place was the run then that's where it needed to be.

I wouldn't be remotely thinking about more until you have somewhere to keep them they won't be killed as well. That should be your priority.

 

[HenriettaBB]

Yes we have figured out we are going to build them a big run outside their coop. We currently don't have enough money to build it though. No hawk has gone after my little boy,Roadrunner, so can we still let him free range? He doesn't have his Spurs yet and he's only about 6-7 months old.

 

[HenriettaBB]

My baby was so pitiful when I went to check on him. He barely eats. I think he misses my Henri

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes we have figured out we are going to build them a big run outside their coop. We currently don't have enough money to build it though. No hawk has gone after my little boy,Roadrunner, so can we still let him free range? He doesn't have his Spurs yet and he's only about 6-7 months old.

You can still let him free range if you're willing to take the chance on losing him, too. The hawk knows where there is food. It will be back.