March 07, 2012

Today marks the first day of Operation Chicken Lockdown, for their own good. Yesterday, Joe was home and witness to a broad daylight attempted chicken attack by a hawk. Luckily, the attack was unsuccessful and all the chickens were able to scatter for cover, and the hawk flew away when Joe came outside to investigate what the guineas were screaming about. We lost Wanda our Speckled Sussex hen last week to what I'm 90-percent sure was a hawk attack. That puts us down to six hens and two roosters, and I've had enough! Unfortunately, I'm not really sure what to do about it. My best guess, confirmed by the internet research I've done, is to keep them confined for several weeks or even months until the hawks lose interest and remember that they're supposed to eat wild rabbits and squirrels! The Wareing Chicken Shack is closing! No more free meals, especially if all you intend to eat is the head! I've gotten some bird netting to cover the pen with as we've learned that the hawks are not afraid to fly into the pen for their snacks. It's going to be sad keeping the chickens all closed up, but I'd rather them be bored than beheaded. :(

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