This morning when I let my dogs out in the yard, a "pigeon" hawk flew out from under my deck. This is where my free ranging flock of 5 chickens hang out all day, under and around the stacked up lawn furniture. I think they felt secure there because that is where they began hanging out this fall after seeing 2 of their coopmates get killed and maimed by a red tailed hawn within a week of each other. So this winter, they opted to make the 30ft. dash to under the deck (it is a second story level deck, with lattice on 3 sides and staircase on the other) every morning when I open their mini coop door. I questioned weather this hawk would actually attack them while they hung out there in the day today. Well, hubby called me at work to say we lost one of my seabrite hens and in an instant I knew it was that blasted hawk that got her. I can only hope that it was quick and he did not pounce on her and eat her alive till she succumed. After all, she was bigger than he was! When I got home from work I could see his feetprints in the snow around the periminter of the lattice and also his wing marks where he srtuck the snow with them upon takeoff after finnishing his meal. I am thinking he will be back tommorrow, so my question is, would it be cruel to keep them locked up in their coop tommorrow till I can create a makeshift pen for them to enter upon release form the mini coop each morning?? There are only 4 bantam size chickens left and the coop is actually an oversize doghouse approx. 6x6 feet and 4.5ft high????
