Lost to a predator today...

[5parrots&zoo]

I was devastated when this afternoon, when I turned out my hens to free range in our front yard, only 7 of my 9 hens came out the gate. When I started looking, my Ameracauna was cowering under the hen house, and Pixie, my smallest hen, had been reduced to a pile of feathers, feet, head, and skeleton. My first thought was a hawk, and my husband thought maybe she expired, and perhaps a vulture got her. My question is, if it was a hawk, would there be blood spatters? There was none to be seen. She was found under overhanging branches of a tree that is just on the other side of the pen. This is my first hen that I have lost to a predator. I am so sad, and tomorrow, I am going to start working on putting the chicken wire over top of the coop. This is such an incredibly sad thing to happen, and I miss the sweet little one. RIP, my little lovely hen.

 

[La Mike]

Sorry to here you losr your hen. No hawks dont grnerally leave blood splatters unless they hit a main vessel when they attack. If all the feathers were close by thats probably what got your hen.

 

[ChickcrazyCharlie]

Sorry about your little girl. If she was picked clean it probably was a hawk. I've lost several to hawks this year. They are locked up until I get the top on their run finished.

 

[sourland]

Sorry about your loss - sounds very much like a hawk kill. Work on getting the pen covered. The hawk will return now that it has been successful.

 

[Mattemma]

Sorry to read of your hen getting killed.Hope the cover will stop the predators.