Are Silkies fine dining for Hawks???

[mainemommy03903]

I have 6 Easter Egger hens and had three silkie roosters. My chickens are allowed to free range. Last summer I lost the first silkie to a red-tailed hawk. Then in winter, another silkie rooster was taken. Today the last of the boys (pretty sure it was a hawk because I thought I saw one flying off) killed the last roo. I'm not a gambling woman but those are some pretty **** good odds that all three of the birds killed were silkies. He was black and much better camouflaged than my two white hens. So are silkies particularly delicious or were my boys defending their flock? I'm at a loss and have not figured out how to keep my birdies safe. BTW-we also have TWO barred owls who are residents on the property. I hate keeping them in. They are like small children and are so melancholy if they don't get outside to play. WHAT DO I DO???
Thanks in advance fellow chicken lovers!

 

[forgetful]

Silkies have no way of seeing above them due to their head feathers, and are poor flyers at best. So honestly, they are rather defenseless against predators and bad flock protectors. As for it being only roosters, I'm not sure. It seems unlikely they could have seen the hawk, but if they had their heads positioned to watch the skies then maybe. The only thing I can suggest is trimming back their head feathers to where they can see.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

2X

 

[silly4buttons]

A few weeks ago I had my 2 silkie roosters and my 2 EE hens rooming the yard and a big hawk came in the yard.and tryed to take my ee hen my roosters fought it and she lived just missing some feather and very stress out I saw it leaving my back yard it was grey with a white under belly i never saw one close up in flight the wings are huge.