First predator attack - sad and not sure what to do next?

[ChicNmom]

We were lucky for years. Now I wonder how many predators my rooster chased off. I know he saved one from a hawk.

After coming home and finding a hawk eating a pullet we now only let them out when we are home.

Even then we have lost a couple even though the predator did not get away with the chicken.

 

[Loving my girls]

Yikes

I have been sooo lucky. I did lose one of my girls to a red kite (the big bird not the thing with string attached) but bought some of these <picture> since then they have been fine. I have tied them to some of the fence posts.

I don’t really know if it’s because of the twirly-gigs or just luck.

** Just to add I don’t tie my hens to the fence posts **

 

[DBeaver]

I recently went out to a commotion in my neighbors yard. There were two Red Tail Hawks sitting on his garden post with 6 Crows taking their chances by swooping in on the hawks. They finally chased the hawks away. I took a few eggs out to the yard to Thank the crows. They seem to be hanging around which should keep the hawks busy. I'll keep watching and trying to get my girls to hide in the brush, but they seem so happy to "Fly the coop" any chance they get. Always a risk with nature.

 

[TOR]

I free range, losing chickens is a possibility and it happens. If I start losing chickens I lock them up for a few days.
I rather see the chickens doing what they do, cruise around eat bugs, weeds grass. They look happy. I also think free range improves their diet, better eggs.

 

[lagrange chicks]

If I had 15 or more layers I would probably do some free ranging but with only 7 girls loosing just 1 would reduce my egg count by 4 to 5 a week. I got the chickens to have fresh eggs for my daughter and family and wife and I.

 

[thistlewick]

I think a smaller flock is more easily managed in a coop. I don't judge anyone for their choices.

I have 20 girls, down from 21 - but that was because I had let the pullets out too young to safely free range TOO FAR from the house.

If I had had them as close as my older flock, right by the back porch, I doubt that hawk would have been so bold.

But those are the risks we take. We have no real runs to speak of, not big enough for 20 chickens and so, they free range. It is the risk we take!

If it was just a few feathers, it was probably a hawk or fox. Raccoons/Skunks/Possums/Weasels hunt at night. Snakes can't really grab a full size hen (though some rat snakes DO try) Dogs/Coyotes eat them right there and leave a TON of mess.

 

[Debbie292d]

Yikes

I have been sooo lucky. I did lose one of my girls to a red kite (the big bird not the thing with string attached) but bought some of these <picture> since then they have been fine. I have tied them to some of the fence posts.

I don’t really know if it’s because of the twirly-gigs or just luck.

** Just to add I don’t tie my hens to the fence posts **

We have some twirlies like this, and several that are double or triple the height, like big wind spinners. We have several solar motion lights that help too, as do our two dogs.

We border a forest on one side and farmer's fields on the others and have seen fox, skunk, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats, etc. on the trail cams in the woods. The bear are the only thing that will come into our yard and we fire a shot in the air which usually scares them off.

In the beginning, eight years ago, we lost one every couple of months. Now it's been about 5-6 years since we've had one go missing. Knock on wood!

 

[McChooky]

A short time after I posted here that I don't free range I look out the window towards the chickens a see a large hawk (believed to be a Ferguson hawk, bigger than a redtail) on the ground 10 feet from the chicken run, chickens were hiding under the coop. No doubt I would be missing one today if free ranging.

I saw a large black bird attack the hardware cloth on my run once a couple years ago.It was try to get to the 2 month old chicks inside. It attacked the run with its claws (talons) and tried to yank the hw cloth off! Chicken wire would have probably stretched and broken under all that stress. It took off when it saw the hw cloth wasn't budging. One chick wouldn't come out for a week after that. My flock loves free ranging but stay close to the coop since 2 vanished a couple months ago.I saw some big black birds that day too...ravens maybe

 

[McChooky]

We have some twirlies like this, and several that are double or triple the height, like big wind spinners. We have several solar motion lights that help too, as do our two dogs.

We border a forest on one side and farmer's fields on the others and have seen fox, skunk, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats, etc. on the trail cams in the woods. The bear are the only thing that will come into our yard and we fire a shot in the air which usually scares them off.

In the beginning, eight years ago, we lost one every couple of months. Now it's been about 5-6 years since we've had one go missing. Knock on wood!

Nothings ever got inside or killed my chickens at night (the coop and run are predator proof) I free range my chickens an hour and so sometimes then lock them up but usually they get 3 hrs minimum. Ever since something got 2 a few months back my chickens run in and out of the coop and hang out a lot by the entrance

 

[McChooky]

I free range, losing chickens is a possibility and it happens. If I start losing chickens I lock them up for a few days.
I rather see the chickens doing what they do, cruise around eat bugs, weeds grass. They look happy. I also think free range improves their diet, better eggs.

I let mine out spring thru fall but in the winter they spend most of their time inside .They have 24 hr access to a predator proof coop and run combo with close to 20 SQ ft per bird so they don't complain