Our first loss

[Rick M]

Went outside earlier to check on the chickens who free range and only found 4 of our barred rock hens and the 6 red sex links. I figured the missing 5th barred rock was u der neighbors tree dusting as they are always up the hill dusting under a couple trees.
Aboit an hour or so later our neighbors walked over and informed us one of our hens had been killed up by their house.
The neighbor said when she walked outside a hawk was standing on top of one of our chickens.
It had eaten most of the head and neck already. We havent had any hawks around for a while so I guess they are moving thru with the cooler temps.
The crap thing about it is, is that the hen that was killed was our favorite one and I had mentioned months ago if we lose one it would be her.

 

[Trish1974]

I am so sorry for your loss. It always seems to be the favorite.

 

[Rick M]

Thank you, I expected it to happen sooner or later since we free range. The coup is in part of our secure outbuilding so I have no worries of something getting into the coup area. Wish I would of been the one to see the hawk standing on top of her, it wouldnt of been a problem in the future.

 

[New2Chicks97]

Sorry for your loss. We recently lost one of our favorites too. It sucks!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Bear hugs!

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry for your loss...and it is true our favorites alway go first.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Lock your birds in their safe coop and run for ten days at least, because this hawk will return! Without another successful hunt, it will move on elsewhere, but it takes a while.
Mary

 

[Raenh]

I'm sorry for your loss. I spent days outside guarding mine with a rake in hand until I was able to get their pen and set it up. Now, they run to the backdoor and stand there staring at the sky waiting for me to come out to escourt them to the pen, I guess they feel safer knowing I'm at their backs as they run to the pen.

 

[cmom]

It seems that most often it is a favorite bird lost to a predator.