Hello I'm new here :)

[drumstick diva]

I'm sorry for your losses. Many years ago I used to raise dogs and when a puppy died I was practically catatonic. If I lost an older dog that I had for many years, I just went into deep depression. It got so bad my family and friends told me to stop raising them - reluctantly I did give it up.

I'm sure other people feel that badly but, learn to accept losses and move on. That is the key. With chickens it also means using 1/2" hardware cloth where wire should be. Chicken wire is just a joke. It keeps chickens in but, keeps nothing OUT.

You also need a top on your run so chickens can't fly or glide out into the eager mouths of some cur dogs coming by for lunch. This will protect them from hawks and also climbing or jumping predators.If the dogs weren't killing your chickens, other predators like fox, raccoon, coyotes would be getting them.

You really have to fortify coop and run to the point where you know you did the very best to protect your chickens. You may also need some strands of electric fencing around to send a message to dogs, cats, everything else. If they can't get to your birds they will move to some location where it is easy to grab them.

Everything loves the taste of chicken - don't let it be yours. Please read through the coop/run building forum to get ideas . Also read up on predators - so your birds aren't sitting ducks.

 

[gander007]

 

[IceQueenICRA]

Thank you so much for your information, I will try and fix a top to our fence so that hawks and other predators cannot get into or hurt our chickens and since we live basically almost in the forest I know I have to try my hardest to keep my chickens safe! I do understand that I will lose some, I knew it was going to happen but I am just so sensitive that it will always hurt to lose them especially if you find their bodies and know they are really gone. So far my babies have been fine and the neighbors had kept to their word by keeping their killer inside and hopefully they keep him inside, it's just sad how almost everything can kill a chicken, if only they were stronger! But I will try my hardest to protect them, thanks again for your reply, I enjoyed reading it.