What happened to my chicks???

[Mahan5175]

This morning around 1130 I walked out to our run and found two chickens with their heads off and a hawk flying away, do Hawks typically decapitate chickens? I feel awful, but I let them out around 9, so it happened quickly. I am at a loss... If it was a hawk that actually killed my chicks, anything I can do to scare them off??

 

[Mahan5175]

I shouldn't say run... It's about a 200 sq ft electric fenced in area.

 

[thomasboyle]

Very sorry for your losses. I have never seen a hawk do that to a chicken, but it would not surprise me. You will need to keep the others inside for a few days, up to a week or two. The hawk will continue to come around looking for more free meals. Hawks are protected by Federal law, so you can't do anything to them, so you have to protect your chickens from them.