Hawks killing my silkies - will they go after my other larger hens?

Jessimom

Cats Rule Dogs Drool
11 Years
Aug 21, 2009
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Southern California
Hi,

We have a family of hawks that live in our trees. For the past 3 years, they have left our chickens alone - they do seem to help with the gopher and rat problem. Yesterday a large one killed 2 of my 6 month old silkie hens in their run. It wasn't covered, so I suppose I was asking for trouble. But, we closed up the rest (including the rooster) in their coop area. There was a VERY small hole in the corner. A small hawk got in and killed and proceeded to eat another hen. It couldn't figure out how to get out and we had to grab it and pull it out of the coop. He was beautiful, and we let it go.

Why would the first one have killed 2 birds and not eaten either of them?

Today, why didn't the silkie rooster try to attack the young hawk trapped in their coop?

We have covered the coop with netting, so they hawks shouldn't be able to get in again But I have another coop and uncovered run.
Will these hawks try to go after my Rhode Island Red, Delaware, Barred Rock, Black Sex Link or Easter Egger hens? 1 is about 4 years old, the rest are all about 1 year old. These girls are all much bigger than the silkies were. But there is no rooster there to protect them?

Thanks!!!

Kathy
 
First,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, VERY SORRY TO HEAR YOUR LOSS..
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Silkies are often called hawk magnets. They are very docile chickens, that do not see overhead dangers well. Polish breed chickens also share this disadvantage. Silkie roosters are not known to be such great protectors against hawks. Your larger chickens are in less danger of the hawk, then your silkies. Less desirable because of being larger and able to fight back better. Hawk takes the easiest meal available. If the hawk is really hungry and desperate, then it may try for the larger chickens. It seems that at this time of the year, food sources get scarce for hawks. I read many postings of hawks attacking chickens, but it seem that at this time of year, there are more. ( this is my personal observation ) If you are able to cover top of other run, then do so.
WISHING YOU BEST.
thumbsup.gif
 
First,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, VERY SORRY TO HEAR YOUR LOSS..
sad.png

Silkies are often called hawk magnets. They are very docile chickens, that do not see overhead dangers well. Polish breed chickens also share this disadvantage. Silkie roosters are not known to be such great protectors against hawks. Your larger chickens are in less danger of the hawk, then your silkies. Less desirable because of being larger and able to fight back better. Hawk takes the easiest meal available. If the hawk is really hungry and desperate, then it may try for the larger chickens. It seems that at this time of the year, food sources get scarce for hawks. I read many postings of hawks attacking chickens, but it seem that at this time of year, there are more. ( this is my personal observation ) If you are able to cover top of other run, then do so.
WISHING YOU BEST.
thumbsup.gif

I agree with these sentiments. A hawk attacked one of my standard birds a while ago and i think that my wife intervening was the only thing that saved its life. They currently go after my 6 week old chicks at the moment.

CT
 
Silkies are so slender there really isn't anything there to fill up a hawk. They probably think it's a rabbit or something. If you cut back the crest and beard, your silkies will be able to see better. They are still at a huge disadvantage as any bantam would be - small but, silkies cannot fly because of their unusual feathering. Any rooster that takes on a hawk is going to end up dead so your flock would still be unprotected. The best a rooster can do is sound the alarm so the hens run and hide if they can.

Raptors are migrating and they need a lot of calories to complete their flying journey. They will certainly go after bigger chickens, cats small dogs or puppies etc.

You would be better off with a solid run cover, provides shade in summer and helps keep rain or snow off the birds. Hawks that don't notice the netting in time, will probably go right through it - . Raccoons can climb and tear their way in, fox can jump high, and so can coyotes. They are determined killers, and have to be taken seriously.

I am so sorry it got your silkies
 
I had a hawk - I think it was a sharp shinned - kill one of my big hens yesterday evening. I must have intervened before it got to the eating part as it flew away when it saw me. However, my girl was dead and I couldn't even see any blood. Not sure how it killed her.

Sorry you have lost some of your chickens.
 
Thanks for all the posts!! I am so sorry to hear about your losses.

We just used dark green netting to. cover their coop, which is chain link, until we can fix it. Yes, we will be covering bother runs today.

Do the hawks go after other birds? Like at my bird feeders? I'd love it if they went after the crows and squirrels.

Thanks again!!
 
Roosters are generally considered effective hawk/general predator deterrents, right?

So what happens if my rooster mysteriously dies, but is not eaten or anything...?

That happened to me last Friday, I suspect it was a hawk or something similar, but the odd part is that I found an almost totally-uneaten chicken body on the ground. I've been considering getting a mechanical/blow-up owl or something similar, would that be effective?
 
Roosters are generally considered effective hawk/general predator deterrents, right?

So what happens if my rooster mysteriously dies, but is not eaten or anything...?

That happened to me last Friday, I suspect it was a hawk or something similar, but the odd part is that I found an almost totally-uneaten chicken body on the ground. I've been considering getting a mechanical/blow-up owl or something similar, would that be effective?
Mechanical blow up item not likely to do any deterring.
What is it that you suspect a hawk to have done your rooster in.??? Roosters and hens die of other natural causes also. A hawk may have killed your rooster though, and fled when sensed someone was coming. SORRY TO HEAR YOUR LOSS
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Best is over head netting or tarps. Consider this........ What the hawk does not see, is safer from danger..
 
Thanks for all the posts!! I am so sorry to hear about your losses.

We just used dark green netting to. cover their coop, which is chain link, until we can fix it. Yes, we will be covering bother runs today.

Do the hawks go after other birds? Like at my bird feeders? I'd love it if they went after the crows and squirrels.

Thanks again!!

Yes they do !!!! They go after many different kinds of birds!
 

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