Disappeared without a trace

[MixedFlock23]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I had a hawk attack and kill one of my birds this fall also. My runs were uncovered (5 years) up to that point. I then covered the chick/grow out pen with 2" chicken wire (it's what I had) and then I ordered bird netting (cheapest option for my 900 sq ft larger run). I know it's not raccoon or opossum proof, but my hubby didn't want to spend hundreds more on our hens right now. (Fencing in with hardware cloth and lumber framing would cost so much!)

This is the brand I bought and it's been a month today and no more hawk attacks.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PTBZXHB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Good luck with finding a covering option that works for you and your hens.

 

[lifein1840]

The enclosure is a fenced area approx. 50ftX150ft that they free range in all day. I haven't had a problem with hawks except one other time in the early summer. They need more places to hide under. The rose isn't good because they get stuck under it I think. The other five most likely ran under the huge hydrangea I have in their area. They spend most of the day under or around it. I see or hear hawks every day however I live in a rural area and there are lots of places a hawk can find prey. Not sure where the crows were yesterday. They definitely keep the hawks away. The remaining five are in the run today (24ftX8ft). Its plenty big enough for them. The weirdest thing is that the remaining five didn't seem to be impacted. But of course they were not together in the same place the hawk attacked the other two. I'll be more cautious going forward.

Use several posts around the area so you can string wire, twine or fishing line around between them and fix dvds (shiny side up) so they flash light around. To get the dvds to hang mostly flat to get the most flash, I taped a long, used screw to the back with the knot on the twine caught in the tape and around the middle of the screw. The slightest breeze makes them throw very bright flashes of light all around. We have lots of hawks that were very persistent about trying to get into my criss-cross twine over the run. Since I added dvds, they don't even come close. Had a neighbor loose two pullets a few months ago, she added dvds and hasn't had any return. Of course, nothing is fool proof, but it's the best solution I have tried. It even seems to keep the possums and raccoons away at night, especially on bright moon nights. Best of luck to you!!

 

[wolfinator]

My chickens have gotten up on their coop roof, 8ft high. I use only a 4ft fence with mine but its rare for them to get out. If they do, its been from excitement trying to get to the pen gate as they come running and "flying" to greet me. I had one girl a year ago that got out and I didn't find her til the next day. She possibly had hidden in an old small barn on the property. We are also surrounded by woods on 3 sides with ample wildlife and the occasional dog or 2 running around due to an irresponsible owner.

Also 8 months is awful young to be molting. Are you sure they don't have any health issues? None of mine once past juvenile stage molted again until they were about 18 months old. I've currently got 25-30 chickens molting right now. All are 18 months up to 3 1/2 years old.

Hopefully by time I'm posting this, your chickens have come home. I hope nothing has happened to them.

 

[Organic Gal]

Very sorry to hear they are missing. I'm a little confused, though. I've never had chickens molt at 8 mos old. The first adult molt is usually after a year old, and closer to 1 1/2 yrs. Even BackYardChickens has a little video about molting.

But I hope you find out what happened. I've lost a couple with absolutely no trace. I'm sure they went over our 6' fence. Most of the rest never even attempt to leave, even in our front field that only has a 2 1/2' picket fence around it. We did have a big hawk scare a couple days ago. I heard the hawk screeching. Went outside and all the chickens were hidden under the porch out back. The ones that were in the front field were still as stone trying to hide under bushes! They sure stayed close to me walking back to the back field where they are safer. Thank goodness my crow friends were on guard chasing the hawk away.

I did find them however they were dead inside the fenced enclosure. Pretty sure it was a hawk. Some of them were molting but not alot.

 

[Organic Gal]

Use several posts around the area so you can string wire, twine or fishing line around between them and fix dvds (shiny side up) so they flash light around. To get the dvds to hang mostly flat to get the most flash, I taped a long, used screw to the back with the knot on the twine caught in the tape and around the middle of the screw. The slightest breeze makes them throw very bright flashes of light all around. We have lots of hawks that were very persistent about trying to get into my criss-cross twine over the run. Since I added dvds, they don't even come close. Had a neighbor loose two pullets a few months ago, she added dvds and hasn't had any return. Of course, nothing is fool proof, but it's the best solution I have tried. It even seems to keep the possums and raccoons away at night, especially on bright moon nights. Best of luck to you!!

Thank you for your suggestion

 

[Organic Gal]

I have a big orpington rooster and twice I've seen him attack a red tail hawk that was attempting to take a hen...he sent it away and saved the flock both times

Wow I wish I could get a rooster but I don't think my neighbors would be too happy

 

[Organic Gal]

I am so sorry at such a sad outcome. One of my three hens disappeared without a trace in my fenced in backyard a couple of months ago...we live in the middle of Chicago but have a real hawk problem -- one of my gals was badly wounded by a hawk attack when she was a pullet. I searched everywhere when I found my Buff Orpington wasn't roosting that evening when I went to lock the coop. A not-so-large backyard mind you. But no feathers, no evidence of anything. The next morning she had not appeared so I searched again and out of the corner of my eye spotted her golden feathers in the light of day. She was wedged between the fence and a big rock. She must have fled to this secure spot because of a threatening hawk and just couldn't get out. And I just couldn't see her at night, not even with a flashlight. Even in a smallish space there are places that can escape our notice...fortunately Trilly was no worse for wear.

I wish mine could have found a place to hide from the hawk(pretty sure it was a hawk). The hawk probably chased them and went under the rose bush after them. They were on the outside edge when I found them dead. Not sure exactly what happened. One was clearly injured and the other didn't appear to have any wounds but I was too upset to really look for injuries.

 

[6forus]

Hi,
Today somewhere between 12 -3pm two of my seven chickens(8 mo old) disappeared without a trace. They were both molting so I would think if anything was to grab them there would be feathers everywhere however no feathers were found. There is no way they could get out of their enclosure. Its 4 ft high. Its a mystery to me. I have looked all over for them. ???????

You said it’s 4 ft high. Does it have a cover? They can get out of a 4 ft high enclosure without too much trouble. If the 2 had a buddy relationship, then if one went out, then the other would have followed. Keep looking everywhere even a place you wouldn’t think they’d go. I found one I’d looked for all day in the tiniest of places. She was just sitting there on a number of eggs. Apparently, other hens had been there first. Hope you find them!

 

[wolfinator]

The enclosure is a fenced area approx. 50ftX150ft that they free range in all day. I haven't had a problem with hawks except one other time in the early summer. They need more places to hide under. The rose isn't good because they get stuck under it I think. The other five most likely ran under the huge hydrangea I have in their area. They spend most of the day under or around it. I see or hear hawks every day however I live in a rural area and there are lots of places a hawk can find prey. Not sure where the crows were yesterday. They definitely keep the hawks away. The remaining five are in the run today (24ftX8ft). Its plenty big enough for them. The weirdest thing is that the remaining five didn't seem to be impacted. But of course they were not together in the same place the hawk attacked the other two. I'll be more cautious going forward.

I just read, sorry for your loss. I was hoping you would have had a better outcome.

I have a 40×54ft pen, I use old beach umbrellas as extra shade and shelter. I have them so they're about 4-5ft high. We have a lot of hawks but thankfully haven't lost any thus far but other neighbors have. We actually have a park called Hawks Nest where they release them from about 20 minutes away, so we get 5-7 and more sometimes flying overhead some days. We have noticed in my area, if you see or hear the crows then the hawks have gone away but if you see hawks then crows are away and need to be more watchful.

 

[Organic Gal]

I just read, sorry for your loss. I was hoping you would have had a better outcome.

I have a 40×54ft pen, I use old beach umbrellas as extra shade and shelter. I have them so they're about 4-5ft high. We have a lot of hawks but thankfully haven't lost any thus far but other neighbors have. We actually have a park called Hawks Nest where they release them from about 20 minutes away, so we get 5-7 and more sometimes flying overhead some days. We have noticed in my area, if you see or hear the crows then the hawks have gone away but if you see hawks then crows are away and need to be more watchful.

Fortunately crows are around the area most of the time. I don't see hawks very often. The day my two were killed it was a rainy cloudy day.