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- #10
OOOKKKKK..
Just got home from picking up new engined truck from shop(another reason I am so poor/angry/rambly) and chickens were terrified in their shed(it was after 5 pm here) and I immediately went to shed to see a hawk(not a Redtail but more than likely Coopers) flying out of shed and it had killed/partially eaten a Redstar hen. So now I am thinking the very first bird I found 2 weeks ago(Salmon Faverolles hen) with her crop/neck eaten could have very well been a hawk(THIS hawk, probably) Suffice it to say I now know for a fact smallish hawks DO take chickens(well-they kill them/eat them on site) when given the opportunity. The chickens are so terrified and it breaks my heart. No more pastured chicken here, I am sad.And this is still allowed in "managing your flock" I believe. I took out 2 adult/7 young rats 2 years ago with snap traps(after saying how fortunate I was in having never seen a rat for the first 12 yrs of chickendom) but they had been after the feed at that point.Anyhoo-I think I would have felt better if it HAD been just weasels. That is a creepy heartsinking feeling seeing that hawk fly that way(sounds weird too) out of the shed. Will consider something like aart displayed above.