Do you have a dog to help watch for the hawks? And a lot of places for them to hide, like shrubs and such? Those things help free range birds.
So sorry for your loss . Free ranging is always a gamble. A hawk can still take down a year old hen. There are a few threads on how to help deter hawks. I can find some if you would like.
Hi abbab, and welcome to BYC. So sorry to hear about your hens! Did you see the hawk take them? Spring and fall are the worst times for hawk attacks, as many hawks are migrating and hungry. It is kind of unusual for a hawk to take so many hens at once, though.
Oh, I am so, so sorry. XOXO When my chickens are free ranging, I am out with them. Otherwise they are in a large secured run. we had a coyote take one at 10:30 in the morning, now I'm paranoud. When they were younger, I had them in a smaller pen. We have their coop and run under trees. I think the leaves help deter the flying predators.
So sorry about your chickens. I had no issues until one day a fox came in and took one in broad daylight so I fenced in their pasture. Then I had a hawk with an almost 5 ft wingspan swoop in for another. Well now they are only in their pasture when I am home, outside and have a rake in hand because the hawks will come right in on occasion even if I am ouside and right in with them! They are predators just doing what they do and I just do my best to protect them.
wow, all five? I'm sorry. I just had an afternoon of hawk troubles but it wasn't my hens he was after. Below is my original post. The hawk did return for it's meal but some left innards behind which I will have to clean up tomorrow. Looked out my back window just a few minutes ago and saw a sharp shinned or coopers hawk eating something in my yard. Wasn't sure if it was a chicken or not, but whatever it was, it was already dead so I wasn't sure if I should go bother it. The pile of feathers looked a little too large for my liking so I decided to go out with my smaller doggies and let them chase it away. Whew! Turned out to be a pigeon. When the dogs scared it, it tried picking up it's meal but dropped it. Now I'm wondering if I should leave the carcass there for him to come back and finish or do what I can to deter him from coming back in the future and get rid of it?
