Just walked out to barn and saw a large hawk I think flying away by back trees. A dead Aracana hen the mother of my outside flock was in the barn doorway. I ran to the back to see if the hawk landed in the trees but no luck. The Aracona is a standard hen - pretty big so the hawk was tearing the feathers off in the barn doorway. Thought it might fly into a tree with carcass if it could. Other hawks have taken silkies into trees in years past. I have four Aracanna roosters running loose and just now since the snow have come in the barn. The dead hen had 12 chicks this summer and they all stay up in the rafters in the barn above the goats. I have a pen built in the barn and an outside covered run. I had hawks sitting on the top wire but never had one get anything until now. I have a 20 gauge in the family room ready so I don't know what else to do as the loose chickens have always been loose but I don't want to feed the hawk. Will it come back now that it found a source of food? My guienea hens put up a racket but I was in the house and just happened to go for the mail. Thought I might put the carcass out in the yard and see if it comes back. What do you think?
