It finally happened.... 😭

[Beard4]

So sorry for your loss. We had a hawk try to swoop while my husband and kids were outside the other week.. They have seemed to go stir crazy if not free-ranged..

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

I’m very sorry for the loss of your leghorn. The first loss is always hard. I lost my first pullet to a hawk; she was only 6 months old and from my first flock. The unfortunate downside to free ranging is that there will be some occassional losses, it’s a risk we take but I still wouldn’t do it any other way. I lost my blue Cochin (my avatar and favorite hen) last summer to a fox. Baby Blue was broody but she would always hop off the nest and free range around 11am, usually by herself as the rest of the flock had already moved into the lower pasture by then. My neighbors had warned me of a large red fox that had been making late morning appearances. I was erroneously overly confident that the 5 ft woven wire fence would keep the fox at bay. Nope, the fox scaled the fence, ran about 25’, grabbed by hen and exited the same place where it first scaled the fence. It happened so quickly that the flock didn’t even know Blue was gone. I only figured out what happened after I found a pile of feathers just passed the fence. I found two more piles of feathers deeper into the woods, never found the rest of Blue. One of my huskies tracked the fox’s scent from where it came over the fence, over to where it snatched Blue, and back again. Now I regularly walk my three huskies along the fence line that backs the woods to leave their scent. Not sure if that helps, but the fox hasn’t been back. Also since that happened, a pearl guinea cock mysteriously showed up on our property and never left. The guinea is very skittish and broadcasts a most obnoxious alarm at practically anything that moves, so he has been a good guardian for the flock. This past September, I just happened to witness him chase off a low flying hawk that buzzed the hen yard, so it was the first autumn that the flock was spared from an attack by a hawk. As time passes and more experience and wisdom is gained, we do our best to protect our flocks from predators, disease and injury, but despite our efforts things are going to happen anyway. Knowing you do the best that you can for your flock will help get you through the unfortunate times when a loss is experienced.

Thank you!! My leghorn was around 9 months old, we had gotten 12 chicks back in March of this year. Man, she wasn’t one of my favorites, she was one of the girls at the top of the pecking order,but I couldn’t imagine if I would’ve lost one of my favorites.... I would go insane That sounds almost like the same attack as my leghorn, no one knew a thing. Only thing left of her was piles of feathers. Except I found the food from her crop...presumably from her crop being ripped open by the predator. I have 2 dogs, Chesapeake bay retriever & an American water spaniel. They usually stay in their dog run since my spaniel likes to run off. Maybe bringing my Chessie out again might help... she never leaves or roams off. My husband & I were talking about getting some guineas, you’re lucky one just so happened to roam into your yard & never leave. The only type of roamers I get are stray cats & loose dogs. You’re right. Having a loss is inevitable, we do our best to protect what we have & learn from the experience, good or bad.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

In total I have had five hawk attacks, one fox. The ones that were hit were a light Brahma (died), a blue americauna (died), a blue Cochin (fox, died), a dark Brahma (survived), and an Ancona (attacked twice by hawk, survived both). I also have two white hens, a leghorn and an Orpington, both spared from any attack thus far (knock on wood). I totally agree that size, inexperience, bad luck and poor eyesight increase the odds of an attack, as does opportunity. Two of my hens that were picked off (fox and hawk) had a bad habit of becoming separated from the flock and I would constantly have to herd them back to the rest of the flock. I knew it was only a matter of time before something would happen to them.

My leghorns were the ones who liked to break away from the flock to go range alone. They are usually one of my loudest breeds, but this time it didn’t seem to help.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

Yes, it sometimes can be hard. But do not blame yourself, we even had a hawk coming down at one cockerel that was roaming about the vegetable garden while we were working right next to him.

How scary! It seems like predators are getting braver & less scared of humans. I have 4 bantam roo’s, 3 young cockerels, & my 1 black copper Maran roo. If one doesn’t see a possible threat, one of the other boys will & start sounding their alarms.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

So sorry for your loss. We had a hawk try to swoop while my husband and kids were outside the other week.. They have seemed to go stir crazy if not free-ranged..

Thank you! Oh no! We’ve had hawks all summer long & they were the ones I worried about the most, guess I should’ve looked at the bigger picture. Mine are the same way, & will walk the fence like there’s going to be some magical opening.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

Very sad for you and hope you have a plan to stop this because chances are, they will come back.

Thank you We have some ideas that we’re about to put into play. It’s so crazy because I’m always out there with them, in that same exact general area & it’s like she just vanished right under my nose.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

So sorry for your loss
I had a fox kill two of my pullets 6 wks into having chickens... it was devastating & I too cried the whole day after it happened. You can be told not to get attached to hens, but it's harder said than done when you have a small and very entertaining flock.
Hope you feel better soon xx

Thank you ! That’s so awful. You are so right! I’m so attached to my chooks, some are favorites & some are just... there. But I love them like they’re my feathered children & thats how I feel with losing one.... like I lost a child. All summer long being with them was my “happy place” & watching them free range & do chicken-things was my normal. It still hurts but I’m getting better.

 

[rumbleBee_STi]

@jeepgrrl My chessie found the fox den! I took her down the hill where my leghorn was taken, she found the first pile of feathers & went from there. Led me straight to an old fallen down tree. Not far from our yard, at all.

 

[LaFleche]

Good dog! What are you going to do now?

 

[Vickischics]

@jeepgrrl My chessie found the fox den! I took her down the hill where my leghorn was taken, she found the first pile of feathers & went from there. Led me straight to an old fallen down tree. Not far from our yard, at all. View attachment 2450764View attachment 2450765View attachment 2450766View attachment 2450767

Good Girlie, Get that bad fox.
Dont worry, Mama's gonna get it for you now.