Predators!

[timber_102]

One of my best laying silkies was just slaughtered and eaten by 2 hawks right in front of the other hens. Luckily they only killed the one and left the other 2 alone. Now the hawks know they are there and won't leave. The rest of my flock are under a canopy and all have coops with fences. I had 3 outside free ranging. My white silkie rooster was with them and he didn't get a scratch. I wasn't home and I feel so bad. I shouldn't have left them out while gone. We've had hawks before but they never bothered my chickens before in the last 6 and a half years we've lived here. Bless her heart, there in all the feathers and blood was her last egg unbroken.
Lessons learned, don't leave them out while gone. We're constantly looking out for predators. My dog just killed 2 possums within a weeks time recently. One possum killed my beautiful blue silkie hen last year before we learned to reinforce all our coops. I didn't realize it would be so tough to have chickens where we live now. But I love them and will continue to fight for them and keep them safe. The question is how......

 

[azygous]

Hawks are the worst, right along with dogs, as predators. You mentioned a "canopy", but is your run secure on the sides and top, sealed against entry by predators? Hawks and owls can find narrow openings between top of fences and a canopy/roof to slip into a run to have their way with the chickens.

It's a tragic shame this has happened. We think just because a certain predator has never noticed our chickens that it will always remain so. Unfortunately, there is always that first time for everything.

That you found her egg in her remains is just so sad.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. Over the years I have had many lessons learned the hard way. Now I have electric wires around my coops and very large pens, good heavy duty netting covering all of the pens and concrete under all of the gates all due to losses from predators in the past. I also have several game cameras up on my property and hardly a night goes by here when the predators roam that I don't get a predator on at least one of the cameras. Good luck...