in the yard, somehow, to discourage predators.Lost a BO pullet(10 months old) to, I THINK, a hawk today. Have lost a few birds to various predators(guessing at all of the possibilities) this winter and have NEVER had this many problems. Had chickens for 10 yrs before first incident a few years ago. Anyhow-was in barn looking out toward chic house(chic house is between my house and barn) and saw Coopers hawk swoop closeby and chickens were all hiding in the barn but ONE that was fussing in chic shed so went to chic shed and there was the live fussing chicken and a dead chic behind nest box on floor(nest box is old dresser about 5' tall) with her side ripped open so the theory is hawk grabbed her and chicken fought to get away(feathers all over opening to shed) and she made it behind nest box to die. I can't afford any new fence,etc so for the time being may put the dog out on chain(which he likes btw!) by shed. Am heartbroken because I have 12 newbies scheduled for end of March. By the time they are big enough to intigrate hopefully I can think of predator preventor. Its been sad finding a single hen every so often mutilated. If I get on the predator section therre are too many suggestions for drowning,poisoning and other horridness and I am determined to prevent the predators foremost and have more humane traps set up(no luck getting the possible weasels yet though!) Just angry at the moment.