Finally happened....hawk

[spook]

Hey guys, unfortunately it is the circle of life. We got home this afternoon to find one of my babies missing and the rest of my flock closed in the chicken yard pen, I had left them go free range with the yard door open to come and go.
Not sure how they were closed in, but still missing was my favorite Suzy Q, she was a Bantam splash Cochin. Such a sweet girl.
Becareful what you wish for. We was looking high and low, I thought in my head, I just wish I could see proof that she was dead. Rounding the corner of the tractor, I saw a hawk and in its grasp was my dead baby. She had just began to have voice changes.
It happens to all of us, we are all touched with the circle of life.

Take care of your babies and tuck them in each night with a smile.

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

You have my sympathies. I had a similar experience recently. Death is surely a part of life, but I still don't like it much.

Glad that hawk only got one.

 

[monarc23]

awh even though you accept it, I am still sorry for your loss *Hugs* hopefully it was a quick death.

The redtails here harrass my two chickens that are slightly free range...the live in a large fenced in area that has no cover so any bird can come in and visit, for that matter any predator could too if it relaly wanted to. Botho f my birds are too big for the redtails to take, but they still have fun harassing them that's for sure. They swoop down to just within inches of their heads and take off...like "i could get ya...but i wont..".

Had a perigrine try to take a pigeon from me one thanksgiving....but by a spur of luck the hawks legs with the pigeon in its grasp hit off the fence and the perigrine got scared and let go of my pigeon.. my pigeon just got to it's feet and walked back over to it's mate like nothing happened, i ran out and picked her up..all she had for proof that she was just grabed was a tiny hole on her wing...she wasnt a flight pigeon anyhow so evenif i hurt her wing didnt make a difference and it healed fast.

Another hen was killed right through the chicken wire of a normal coop set up one year (when i was much younger) it's one tallon gabbed right through her side and she bled to death

I love hawks they're beautiful, but i sure as heck still hate them when they try to kill my birdies

 

[spook]

Thank you guys, I appreciate your words. Red Tailed hawks are very large and can take a young turkey up and away. This hawk was unable to get the chick up off the ground- her voice was just changing, but I saw it and its part of reality to us chicken/bird people. This has brought me to a point where I want to keep them in for a while. Again, thank you for your kind words, but secretly I hope that hawk chokes on her bones.

 

[ChickaD]

Spook, I'm so sorry........just moments ago, I was looking outside (this is a day they're free ranging, and we don't currently have a dog) and saw a hawk chase our BO, which escaped under the huge forsythia bush/jungle. Can you believe, just before that, I'd said a quick prayer, asking for our gals to be kept safe today - I was actually thinking from the coyote, but wow. This is the first hawk attack I've seen in 9 years, or maybe my memory's going.

 

[coffeemama]

Sorry

My friend who adopted some of my hens and pullets worte yesterday to say that one of my favorites was snatched up by a hawk. She said it's the 2nd chicken to be swooped up, and they were both white.

 

[spook]

Yes, it is getting fall and oppurtunity to bulk up I guess or its a population boom and these are hungry baby hawks...grrr either way. Thank you and may all of your chickens, cats, dogs and other pets be kept safe!

 

[hoosier]

I had my first hawk attack today. Cinnamon, one of my RIRs, just came into lay about three weeks ago.
Sorry about the losses of the other posters here.

 

[spook]

sorry for your loss too!

 

[nhnanna]

Sorry for your loss