- Mar 6, 2012
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Aloha! Greetings from tropical Hawaii.Raising chickens on a tropical island is quite an experience. The predators we deal with here are mostly Feral Cats and Mongoose.Some times a problem I'o (Hawaiian Hawk) or Pueo (owl), sometimes even a stray dog or two.All in all , it's very common to face 2 or more of these predators in paradise.
After suffering through many losses, and gut wrenching clean ups, I have come to one conclusion in regards to predators. They are everywhere, in every location around the globe and they love to eat chickens. Our only defense against them is to educate fellow poultry people everywhere about the dangers of predators and share with one another proven ways to minimize losses from these predators. First lets get to know our adversaries, study their movements and habits.Lets get to know our most common Predators in Paradise.
The Number #1 predator in Hawaii is hard to pin down. It varies location to location. Almost case to case. That is because Hawaii as a whole, has NO, thats right , NO natural predators. The Islands have no snakes, no racoons, no coyotes or wolves, or any of the common animals that chicken farmers around the world face. The predators here are Invasive species. Non Native animals that were introduced to Hawaii over time and travel.
I will start with the Native Species, here on the Big Island of Hawaii that just love to eat chicken ,lol
The I'o (Hawaiian Hawk).
The I'o has been known to generations of Island Chickens as a predator to be feared. If, and when one flies over, the alarm is sounded and every bird in the flock runs for cover. This solitary hawk remains in and defends its territories year round. They nest from March through September, and usually lay only one egg but sometimes they could lay up to three in their clutch. The female does the majority of sitting during the 38 days of incubation, while the male does the majority of the hunting. After the egg is hatched, the female only allows the male to visit when delivering food to the nest. The chick hatch at seven or eight weeks. Fifty to seventy percent of the nests successfully hatch young.
The ʻIo usually hunts from a stationary position, but can also dive on prey from the air. It feeds on rats, mice, small birds, young chickens, fish and stream animals,bugs, and occasionally worms. It will also feed on the native bats.. They are opportunistic predators and are versatile in their feeding habits. They have a shrill and high-pitched call much like their Hawaiian name: "eeeh-oh." They are very noisy during the breeding season. ʻIo are strong fliers.The only known breeding colony exists on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The Pueo (Hawaiian Owl)
The Pueo inhabit forests and grasslands throughout the islands of Hawaii,Pueo nest on the ground, which makes their eggs and young susceptible to predation by the introduced Moongoose and other predators, as well as by bulldozers.Young Chickens are prime targets .This predator mostly affect free range chickens or those that are in rural areas. The pueo was once found in ares that have been developed, but frequents the forest and grasslands of rural Hawaii.
These are Hawaii's only Native predators. They are not even the most dangerous and troublesome, believe it or not. This award goes to our next subjects, Non Native Predators.
After suffering through many losses, and gut wrenching clean ups, I have come to one conclusion in regards to predators. They are everywhere, in every location around the globe and they love to eat chickens. Our only defense against them is to educate fellow poultry people everywhere about the dangers of predators and share with one another proven ways to minimize losses from these predators. First lets get to know our adversaries, study their movements and habits.Lets get to know our most common Predators in Paradise.
The Number #1 predator in Hawaii is hard to pin down. It varies location to location. Almost case to case. That is because Hawaii as a whole, has NO, thats right , NO natural predators. The Islands have no snakes, no racoons, no coyotes or wolves, or any of the common animals that chicken farmers around the world face. The predators here are Invasive species. Non Native animals that were introduced to Hawaii over time and travel.
I will start with the Native Species, here on the Big Island of Hawaii that just love to eat chicken ,lol
The I'o (Hawaiian Hawk).
The I'o has been known to generations of Island Chickens as a predator to be feared. If, and when one flies over, the alarm is sounded and every bird in the flock runs for cover. This solitary hawk remains in and defends its territories year round. They nest from March through September, and usually lay only one egg but sometimes they could lay up to three in their clutch. The female does the majority of sitting during the 38 days of incubation, while the male does the majority of the hunting. After the egg is hatched, the female only allows the male to visit when delivering food to the nest. The chick hatch at seven or eight weeks. Fifty to seventy percent of the nests successfully hatch young.
The ʻIo usually hunts from a stationary position, but can also dive on prey from the air. It feeds on rats, mice, small birds, young chickens, fish and stream animals,bugs, and occasionally worms. It will also feed on the native bats.. They are opportunistic predators and are versatile in their feeding habits. They have a shrill and high-pitched call much like their Hawaiian name: "eeeh-oh." They are very noisy during the breeding season. ʻIo are strong fliers.The only known breeding colony exists on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The Pueo (Hawaiian Owl)
The Pueo inhabit forests and grasslands throughout the islands of Hawaii,Pueo nest on the ground, which makes their eggs and young susceptible to predation by the introduced Moongoose and other predators, as well as by bulldozers.Young Chickens are prime targets .This predator mostly affect free range chickens or those that are in rural areas. The pueo was once found in ares that have been developed, but frequents the forest and grasslands of rural Hawaii.
These are Hawaii's only Native predators. They are not even the most dangerous and troublesome, believe it or not. This award goes to our next subjects, Non Native Predators.
