BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens

Hello and welcome to BYC!
So sorry for your loss.

Thank you Tookie - I’m having a hard time getting past it

Maybe if you got some more chicks it would help you get through this.

Tookie, I have ordered more spotted sussex and 2 bramas. I need some chicken hugs so hopefully these breeds will help me heal

Awww. Where did you order them from?

Tookie, I ordered from Meyer. Wasn’t my first choice but they had my breeds and could ship the soonest. Because we are close to winter I need these birds to mature and feather before the super cold weather

When will they come?

Tookie, they come a week from Monday! I just got out of this chick phase but it will be good again. Lots of TLC but it was surely nice to have them feathered and out in my coop and run. I have a fortified run and coop. I messed up the free range by leaving them alone. I won’t do that again.

Tookie, what breeds do you love and find the most loving and friendly? I love my Sussex!

10 days isn't to far away!
You do have to be careful with free ranging. My chickens free range in about a 1/4 of an acre land, there is a 4ft chain link fence though. Strangely enough I've never had a chicken killed by a predator and they free range all day almost every day and I've been keeping chickens for a little over 7 years.

Out of all the breeds I've ever had ISA Browns were the friendliest, I had three but they all got sick and died. Since they are bred for eggs they often will get health issues so I'm not going to get them again.

All the breeds I've ever had and have now are, ISA Browns, White Leghorns, Easter Eggers, Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtions, Dominiques, and Welsummers. What breeds do you have?

I’m happy to hear you’ve never had a predator! Fantastic! Why I’m so unlucky is sad. I really put a lot of love into these birds and time. I have spotted Sussex and australorps for breeds. Sussex are nice!!!

If you do want free range consider looking into chicken tractors.

We live right in the woods so I have to do short free ranging session and be outside with them. That’s why I lost them. I left them alone for 20 mins. My coop and run are like fort nox.

Do you know what predator got them?

Hawk eagle or fox not sure because didn’t see it happen and only found a couple of small light feathers in two separate places and no sign of 3rd chick

But main predators here are hawks and eagles and foxes. My chicks are 11 weeks old

I posted a thread and most seem to think fox stalked them and waited for the perfect time. Because I’m usually always out with them during free range time with our dog who also protects them. Dog was inside when they got killed. People are saying it’s a fox or many foxes??? I can’t believe they got three in 20 mins - devastating and sad

Since they are smaller a predator would get more of them, It probably was a fox.