~Chicken math strikes again!~ PICS ADDED

[CarrieW]

I went outside today to let my girls out, stayed out there with them on the phone with a friend. Out of nowhere, a hawk (I think) swooped down and picked up one of my BO's. I ran after it, but the dang thing was so fast, it was useless. All I have left of her is some feathers

The rest of the girls ran into the coop, I shut the door so they were safe.

My friend that I was on the phone with had to go. About an hour later, she showed up with a little box. She felt so bad that she went to Big R and picked me up not 1, not 2, but 6 baby chicks! I really didn't want to get into raising babies this close to winter (I live in Colorado) but the little things are so dang cute I couldn't resist. So.....I have set up the brooder (again) in the garage. She even brought me a 50# bag of chick starter. There are 3 EE's, and I have NO idea what the other 3 are, I will post pictures tomorrow, I promise! (I know people on here don't believe you have new chicks till pictures are posted

)

I can't believe I am raising chicks again this year, I thought I was done. I am so blessed to have such amazing friends!

Sorry it took so long to get pics, life got in the way, but here they are...

I think these are SLW's


EE's



And does anyone have any idea what this one might be?



And I couldn't resist her cute little fluffy butt

 

[txcarl1258]

LOL Sorry about your hen, but at least you have 6 little babies to care for now! I to thought I was done after I purchased 14 chicks from TSC. Well then two of them decided to go broody and one of them is hatching chicks as we speak! Now the chick fever has struck me again, and I am working on a homemade incubator. Funny how a silver lining is found in almost anything!

 

[BunnyMomma]

Hi!
I am so sorry about your losing all of your chicks to that hawk. Just last Saturday as I went out to call the chicks in for the night I watched as a hawk carried off one of my Porcelain hens. He was sitting in my chicken lot ripping her to shreds! On Friday of last week my other Porcelain hen dissapeared. I didn't know what happened to her until the next day. Since then I made a cool scare crow from a cosmetology mannequin, and put sunglasses and a hat on her. I also started putting my sweet family of dogs, in charge of guard duty. Since I have done this, the hawks have flown across the area, and decided to go elsewhere. I intend to move the scarecrow around and change the scenery in the lot more often. Hopefully this will discourage any more attacks.
It is nice to read your post! It seems we have so much in common. I just brought home a whole new batch of chickies to add to the family farm. I hope things go great for you and the new baby chicks!
A Sincere, Hey Ya'll in CO!
Bunny

from NC

 

[CarrieW]

OMG a scarecrow! I never thought of that! What a great idea! I will get started on one tomorrow.

ps...I only lost 1 hen, a Buff Orpington, but she was a sweetheart and will be missed

 

[Happy Chooks]

Now THAT'S a friend! When you're down, she brings you chicks!

I'm so sorry that you lost one to a hawk. I too have lost a chicken to a hawk, and of course, it had to by my oldest son's chicken. Here is what we did in our run (which is also our orchard) to keep the hawks out. It works well, and we haven't lost any more chickens to hawks. We staggered the t-posts in a zig zag pattern, and they are no further than 3 ft apart.

Looking back at the coop:

Looking from the coop:

 

[33yardbirds]

That's why you call them friends.

 

[CarrieW]

I added some pics in the OP, thanks for looking!

 

[drumstick diva]

Wow what a great friend you have- priceless

 

[nanawendy]

Ahhh...

...To be wrapped in

from a dear friend

 

[allieloveschickens]

Happy Chooks- what a good idea, I have heard hanging up shiny objects helps keep hawks away, we used to to something similar to keep birds out of my dad's blue berry patch. We have a coopers hawk that hangs around the yard sometimes- but the girls only free range when Im around so so far the hawk hasn't made any attempts.