So...after almost four years without a predator death (a little free range when we are home, shut into coop at night, out in fenced pen (no roof but some cover) during the day - something got my biggest Barred Rock hen; I went out about midday to find her dead in the pen, breast down, two places on her neck torn out (but head still intact). From the explosion of feathers I'd say she was hit right where she fell, from above. We do have hawks around, also the occasional coon and possum. Last fall I cut back a lot of the wild bushes in the pen, so there is less cover, but the pen is close to the house/garage etc so not a lot of flying space. A predatory bird COULD conceivably drop in though. Two other hens had completely disappeared at the same time; one came back later that day, the other has not turned up. The three that remained in the pen were of course hiding in their coop, terrorized. They have done so well all this time, and I feel terrible about this loss, so trying to take the necessary steps to prevent it including covering the pen - we are pretty sure it was a hawk - what do you experts think?
