How to Prevent Death from Fright?

[BennieAnTheJets]

do you have a lower edge, non-see-through barrier?

I put some corrugated roofing material in the ground - side ways - to block the view of birds to predators and the other way around - it keeps them from getting face to face with the birds (see photo below)

also, I did have a bird die from fright - it was a Guinea - and I was soo sad - - we had a dog pen installed behind the coop and I was so exhausted and did not go out there right away when they started pounding the posts in the ground - the noise was very stressful for the birds, so close to them - if I had been there I would have let them out first! - my fault - when I got there one of my previously healthy males was dead - I figured he had a heart attack from the fright

 

[SurferchickinSB]

So I lost a silkie to a bobcat today. The bobcat didn’t actually kill the silkie, but it’s definitely responsible. My chickens are in a big secure run that looks like Fort Knox. However, the bobcat ran around the pen and scared everyone. One of my silkies then went inside the coop and died. It was 103 degrees outside today, so she either overheated after running around or died of fright. I can’t believe we built such a secure run and have still lost a chicken to a predatorIs there anything I can do to keep them from being scared to death in the future? Would putting in climbing structures so they can be elevated when they get scared help? Otherwise, I’m not sure what to do.

I think she overheated and most likely died of heatstroke. It was a hundred degrees at my house the other day and my chickens just stood around with their wings held out and their mouths hanging open. I think if they had to run, they would have definitely collapsed!

 

[Beer can]

Is there anything I can do to keep them from being scared to death in the future?

Two things to maybe make you feel better?, and sorry for your loss.
One it might be hopefully the only loss you have under such circumstances. Two, chickens go berserko when scared, may have been it was running and 'flying' and injured itself mortally wounded itself, knock in the head maybe? Quite possible IMHO more likely than frightened itself to death, which could have happened, I've seen it happen with rabbits before and Silkies are kinda like rabbits ain't they?
Just kidding (but seriously I have seen it happen with rabbits before, heart attacks),
I've actually had Silkies before, just TSC Silkies so kinda but not really. They were good size birds and great layers and hardy.
Good luck, and like others have posted, check out electric fencing, Google electric fencing chicken coops, a lot of great ideas and setups out there that are easy to do. I someday would like to set up electric myself cause my coops are not predator proof at all.

 

[CutieChicken]

These are all good ideas. Thank you!! I looked at the electric fencing and will probably be doing that after I’ve looked into the laws a little more. I want to make sure I’m not setting myself up with a big “sue me” sign. In the meantime, I think we’re going to be getting a trap and disposing of the bobcat. We have little dogs, and with the way it keeps waltzing into the yard with increasingly less fear of humans, I’m worried it might take a swipe at the dogs when they go out in their little pen. So trap it is. Plus I’ll be adding some additional barriers and hiding places inside the run to make everyone (including me) feel better. Thank you for your help!