I get it. Got to be smart and tough here to survive here as well.Because the little buggers don't stay where they belong. All of white fluff's babies, kept going out in the horse area, so a few got nabbed by barn cats, a few drowned in the goats water bucket, one was found way on the back of the property with it's head ripped off not too long ago because it wouldn't stay where it belonged.
The barn cats go after the half-grown and baby chicks a lot, I probably won't let my broodies raise them anymore.
They could fit through chicken wire when they were tiny, I let my birds free range, and I realize that puts them at risk, but they are a lot happier in the long-run and the stupid ones with a death wish die, and the smart birds, live.
I don't want to have offspring from dumb birds.... so, some of it's survival of the fittest around here. Most of the predators I deal with are barn cats. I've been tempted to get rid of them, but we have so many mice, too that we need killed.
I also lose a lot of birds due to the weather, and heat stroke. We get floods, and flash floods, and heat in the high 104-110 degree weather with 50% humidity. I've done my best to pick breeds who are heat savvy, but the weaker ones just don't make it.