Be it that I now have easy meals for predators, the local red tail hawk momma had a great spring raising her chicks. I moved my new birds out in the yard, away from the old flock surrounded by an electric fence. I thought the fence would keep the bad guys out AND the good guys (chicks) in. Silly me, some chicks walked right through the fence as they were not able to complete the circuit and get shocked! So they just started wandering to where the "grass was greener" and were "sitting ducks" for the hawks. Once I recognized what was happening I placed a chicken fence inside the electric to keep them in. Then momma found the chicks my broodies hatched out and picked them off one at a time. It was a stressful, joyful, sad, happy summer.
I started with 11 girls and 9 boys from a straight run from Theri and raised 7 girls and 6 boys to maturity. Hence, the hawk saga comment. Hope that answers your question.
