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

[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!

 

[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.

 

[Isaac 0]

Hello, and welcome to BackYard Chickens! Glad you joined.

 

[chrissynemetz]

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

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Good luck with securing your flock.

 

[rjohns39]

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

So sorry for your loss

 

[drumstick diva]

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.

 

[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!

 

[Birdielee]

I guess no lost chicks have reappeared?