New Chicken Momma - Hawk took 2 of my chickens today and I am heartbroken! Here for solutions

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! I'm so sorry about your chicks I've had hawks take chickens with me standing not 10 feet away

 

[Fuchsia]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
Sorry for your losses!

 

[Birdielee]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Any possibility that one or both of the chicks are hiding somewhere ?

That's what i was thinking.
And bummer on the whole situation. I've been waiting for and dreading and trying to prepare for the day i have to lock up my girls. Sorry they found your flock

If you decide to add to your run, I've found pressure treated 1x4x8's to be very manageable. 2x4's are sort of too heavy for me. I've been making panels with 1x4s and 2' wide 1/2 inch hardware cloth. I staple the hardware cloth to 2 boards (cut to 67" in my case),
then i cut 2 1x4s to go the whole width of the panel (joins the 2 sides.) (Cut the hardware cloth with snips before screwing on the board. I use 1- 5/8" deck screws with fender washers.)
Then flip the panel, staple the hardware cloth, and cut pieces of 1x4 to go between the sides, top and bottom. Sandwich the metal mesh edge, screwing it together with the same screws and washers.
Sandwich the verticals (when you get more wood!)

I'm finding the panels very manageable and because I'm using standard widths, i can modify things in the future without too much to do.
Unlike all my previous mishmash building.

I thought I'd prefer mesh that's wider than 2 feet, but 2 feet was available.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi Melinda and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

So sorry for your loss

 

[mtillitski]

I guess no lost chicks have reappeared?

Okay, I kept looking every hour until dark. My fenced garden area is only about 400 square feet. Raised beds. Some banana trees. Little greenhouse. Not many hiding spots. I tried to hold out hope, but no sign. The next day, hopes fully dashed, I poured myself a cocktail and sat out there mourning the chickens that so quickly became my friends. And what do you know, I heard some muffled clucking and one popped out from under the cardboard pile! Feathers all a mess. The missing two girls had hidden between two several sheets of cardboard (broken down boxes) under the tarp for hours and hours not making a single peep! I feel ridiculous and yet so happy and relieved. I was so distressed. I was doubting whether I would be able to even successfully keep the remaining two. This community gave me hope. Working on plans for a run now! Thank you!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@sourland... you were right, they were hiding well and have returned!

Low and tight hiding spaces are so key to predator evasion.. the mess of turned over chairs and other obstacles that appear throughout my pasture is with cause.

I feel ridiculous and yet so happy and relieved.

So happy for you!

Ridiculous would be not morning the life of a recent feathered friend to some extent at least.

What a fantastic wake up call to reality of what possible dangers are though! And now this shall somehow undoubtedly increase their sentimental value to you even further (I suspect).. I wan't photos of happy little survivors reunited with their flock mates.. and hey include their relieved guardian's smile if it feels right.

 

[TARDIS37379]

Making your run predator roof is a multi layered system. There are many types of predators and many ways to prevent losses.
lots of us here have tried a multitude of solutions.

 

[Fuzzy Chicky Mama]

So sorry for losing your chickys. I had the exact same problem earlier this week so I feel your pain. A covered run is going to be your best option to guarentee your birds are safe. If you can't afford building one, you can go to your local farm store or hardware store and pick up a fake owl/hawk decoy thingy. Mount it up high and it may scare the hawk away. The problem is some hawks are smart enough to know it's fake if it stays in the same place every day and doesn't move. So you'd have to keep moving it. I hope everything turns out ok for your babies!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So sorry for your loss. Some folks string fishing line, zigzag over the top of the run. Birds of prey don't risk damaging their wings - that would be the end of them.

Actually, my broody Silkie lost a chick 2 days in a row.. before I strung fishing line.. and haven't been attacked SINCE, in that pen! Anecdotal, BUT... maybe there's something to it!

I see hawks laugh at the fake owls my neighbor has.. those don't even fool my chickens!

I have never YET had two birds actually disappear from a raptor attack on a single day especially during the same hour. Which gave me hope when sourland asked if they happen to be hiding somewhere good!

 

[mtillitski]

Hello it's good you've joined us. You'll find a lot of good advice here.
I hope you can keep the rest of your chickens safe.

Thank you! So much good information! And clearly people who understand why I love these girls so much!