Poor lady =[

[MamaSaylor]

We had our first predator today. We ran to the grocery store and returned to the news that a hawk got one of our chickens. Our main egg layer. She had crooked toes from birth before I knew you could splint them. I feel so bad.

How do I keep my other ladies protected?

 

[LDumont]

I live in a mountain, so i have many different kind of predator, i have them all...so i spend my days watching them, and they let me know when they see predator..even people they don't know..But when i gotta go somewhere and it is urgent, i take five minutes to put them in save keeping..Their coop..
This is all new to me, i could be overprotective..

 

[Muffinburgler]

The only way to keep chickens safe from hawks is some kind of covering over them. I just spent all day covering my run with deer netting. It's a slight pain in the butt to set up, but it's a nice cheap invisible cover to keep the hawks away.

 

[MamaSaylor]

They have covering on their run and full access to the barn and a boat to hide under. She was attacked stealing some of the neighbors bird seed .

 

[theoldchick]

Keep a bird safe while free ranging is difficult. Unfortunately our domestic laying hens are lacking a refined sense of survival and are easy prey. I've heard of some folks fitting their roaming chickens in chicken aprons which have two large dots resembling eyes on the back. This is supposed to confuse the hawk into thinking they are being watched. I don't know how well these type of aprons work. Sorry for your loss.

 

[aggiemae]

Try stringing fishing line randomly (like a spider wed) hawks, heron and most predatory birds have large wing spans so the line can spaces 18"-24" wide so it's easy to hang and you will barely notice it after the first week or two.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/518132/using-fishing-line-over-the-top