Looked out the window early---just before sunrise, and there were some hens in the garden. The others were still in the coop. I must have closed it up too early last night, although it was 7:20 pm, quite dark, and I didn't see any hens outside. They were both fine, thank goodness. One of them was Victoria, my alpha hen and favorite. I have no idea where they spent the night.
To top it all off, yesterday I saw a huge hawk leaving the garden where all my hens were. Ran out there to find barred rock feathers all over, but all hens OK, including both barred rocks.
He must have scared them so that they ran into the fence or something, losing their feathers (I hadn't heard a thing). As he flew up to the top of the fence, my dog (who had come out with me) spotted him and barked and ran at him. He didn't look big enough to carry off a full grown chicken. He took off then, but I was nervous the rest of the day. And then to think after that I locked two hens out of the coop all night.
To top it all off, yesterday I saw a huge hawk leaving the garden where all my hens were. Ran out there to find barred rock feathers all over, but all hens OK, including both barred rocks.
He must have scared them so that they ran into the fence or something, losing their feathers (I hadn't heard a thing). As he flew up to the top of the fence, my dog (who had come out with me) spotted him and barked and ran at him. He didn't look big enough to carry off a full grown chicken. He took off then, but I was nervous the rest of the day. And then to think after that I locked two hens out of the coop all night.