4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mpalmann]

I recently lost a chicken in myseterious circumstances whilst my little flock were free-ranging in my back garden. Only a little heap of feathers was left, no body parts, no blood and not even that many feathers to be honest, a couple of hand fulls. I immediately suspected a fox but my other 6 chickens were unscathed. On Saturday when I was out with them doing some gardening while they ran round "helping me" by nicking all the worms I suddenly heard a dreadful din up ahead and a sparrowhawk landed on my garden shed, mobbed by some rather hacked off looking crows. She was definitely eyeing up my chickens! They scarpered into the shrubs straight away. Does anyone think it likely that the sparrowhawk (female) could have pinched my poor chicken? I was always a bit sceptical about the fox theory because I thought foxes would kill all the chickens not just take one and leave a few neat feathers behind?

[Slim]

YES sparrowhawk females will take bantums and small breads and will return to a good hunting ground so netting may be in order

[Chucky Mama]

A sparrowhawk took a blackbird from my back garden. She struggled but killed it and ate most of it where she stood as it was obviously a bit heavy to make off with. So, if you have small birds then they would be at risk.

[Tweety]

I lost 2 small bantams in exactly the same circumstances, and I am sure it was a sparrowhawk that was responsible. I have now put bird-proof netting over the girls' run as I have quite a few very small ones such as Sebrights.

When I let them out to free-range at the weekend, there were 4 or 5 sparrowhawks overhead within seconds - so they are clearly interested.