We have had our flock for more than 3 years now, birds of all ages and never a problem until now.
Less than a week ago, I heard a commotion outside my room. It was the sound of huge wings. At first, I thought it was the Australorp rooster we'd just gotten from a neighbor a few days earlier but something didn't seem right. I went out to check quickly. Sure enough, right outside my wall a hawk had attacked our only duck. The duck, named Quackers, was a gift for my 3 year old grandson. Fortunately, I had listened to my instincts and went to check. After half an hour, we had chased the hawk off but the poor duck was on its back with its legs up and wings out.
After the threat was over, I set out to do the unpleasant task of burial while my brother tried to explain to my grandson what had happened. It was not a happy day.
When I got to Quackers, she was sitting up and looking nervously around. She wouldn't move though so I dropped down on my knees and held her in my arms, with blood staining my hands. It was heartbreaking but I am proudly a Christian so I did what a true Christian would do in that situation. I prayed that the Lord would either take her quickly so she wouldn't suffer or heal her completely.
I brought her in the house and put her in our brooder (we had no chicks at the time so it was open for use). She immediately began to show signs of improvement! I could find no signs of lacerations but there was a small scratch on her chest. But she was bleeding very badly from her nostrils so there was nothing I could do for the internal injuries.
I went to wash my hands and when I came back, the blood had stopped and she was huddled in the corner warily. I put food and water down for her but she wouldn't come near them for the first day. By the second day, she was drinking but not eating. Three days past and she was drinking and quacking again but still not eating.
I decided that night that I would put her back out with the chickens because she really thought she was one, even to the point of letting our rooster mount her for copulation...but that is a totally different story. Anyway, she is happily back out with the chickens now and looks as good as new. That was 2 days ago.
Less than an hour ago, my grandson came in to tell me his great-grandparents (my parents) were going bye-byes and he was sad. Ordinarily, I he'd just stay with me and play but this time, I decided to take him back into the main house. Mine and my brother's house is connected to the back of theirs but with no connecting door.
Anyway, so I went out the door with him and heard a commotion off to the left. Sure enough, there was another hawk this time with a hen in its clutches. It dropped the hen and flew up into the tree behind the house. My brother and I went immediately into hawk-be-gone mode and finally chased it off. I thank God for saving both of our birds. HE really set the right things in motion to protect them!
I'm just surprised that it's been two attacks in less than a week! Crazy feather we've been having lately.
We're making a scarecrow now.
Less than a week ago, I heard a commotion outside my room. It was the sound of huge wings. At first, I thought it was the Australorp rooster we'd just gotten from a neighbor a few days earlier but something didn't seem right. I went out to check quickly. Sure enough, right outside my wall a hawk had attacked our only duck. The duck, named Quackers, was a gift for my 3 year old grandson. Fortunately, I had listened to my instincts and went to check. After half an hour, we had chased the hawk off but the poor duck was on its back with its legs up and wings out.
After the threat was over, I set out to do the unpleasant task of burial while my brother tried to explain to my grandson what had happened. It was not a happy day.
When I got to Quackers, she was sitting up and looking nervously around. She wouldn't move though so I dropped down on my knees and held her in my arms, with blood staining my hands. It was heartbreaking but I am proudly a Christian so I did what a true Christian would do in that situation. I prayed that the Lord would either take her quickly so she wouldn't suffer or heal her completely.
I brought her in the house and put her in our brooder (we had no chicks at the time so it was open for use). She immediately began to show signs of improvement! I could find no signs of lacerations but there was a small scratch on her chest. But she was bleeding very badly from her nostrils so there was nothing I could do for the internal injuries.
I went to wash my hands and when I came back, the blood had stopped and she was huddled in the corner warily. I put food and water down for her but she wouldn't come near them for the first day. By the second day, she was drinking but not eating. Three days past and she was drinking and quacking again but still not eating.
I decided that night that I would put her back out with the chickens because she really thought she was one, even to the point of letting our rooster mount her for copulation...but that is a totally different story. Anyway, she is happily back out with the chickens now and looks as good as new. That was 2 days ago.
Less than an hour ago, my grandson came in to tell me his great-grandparents (my parents) were going bye-byes and he was sad. Ordinarily, I he'd just stay with me and play but this time, I decided to take him back into the main house. Mine and my brother's house is connected to the back of theirs but with no connecting door.
Anyway, so I went out the door with him and heard a commotion off to the left. Sure enough, there was another hawk this time with a hen in its clutches. It dropped the hen and flew up into the tree behind the house. My brother and I went immediately into hawk-be-gone mode and finally chased it off. I thank God for saving both of our birds. HE really set the right things in motion to protect them!
I'm just surprised that it's been two attacks in less than a week! Crazy feather we've been having lately.
We're making a scarecrow now.
