Then there were three

I didn't intend to do another of the chicks sequence today, but events have forced my hand a bit ... at dinner time I nipped out to take some pics and walking past the hens decided to take a snap seeing as it was nice and sunny and the 4 wee chicks looked geat out and about with their mum, 11 days after hatching.

Now there are only 3.

Between this pic (1pm) and 6pm, one has gone missing, presumed eaten.

Searching about revealed no clues as to what happened - stoat ? weasel ? rat ? crow ? buzzard ? sparrowhawk ? I guess we'll never know ...

The mother and 3 chicks have rejoined the main flock and are calmly going about their business.

A loss is always sad, but my view is that the occassional loss to predation is far outweighed by the fact that keeping them free range gives them the freedom to - well, I suppose just be hens.

I'm hoping that this is the only loss from this wee batch.