I’ve seen some others post about their chickens as a way to process a loss. So today I share our story: we lost a little white Easter egger to a red tailed hawk this weekend.
Her name was Kiwi. She was a peculiar little bird with a green-blue egg. White feathers with a splash of red and some little cheek puffs. She knew just how to get out of the protected area and taught her clutch mates how as well. They loved to scratch around the yard and poop everywhere. Sometimes she would just stay in the coop and let us pet her. And she was the easiest bird to pick up when friends and their kids would come to see the chickens. A party favorite for all.
We got snow at the end of this week. She seemed to blend right in as it was melting, but she was the only white bird. She made it through summer and fall without being picked out by a predator, so not really thinking her best camouflage would be her weakness. Our electric perimeter fence has worked to keep land predators out of the chicken yard, and they have a covered run also. But Kiwi was spotted from above at the edge of the woods. The attack occurred in the middle of the chicken yard. The hawk now knows everyone is there. The trees usually protect everyone but with no leaf coverage yet and red tail presence really high, I guess it was inevitable. We have had chickens out there for two or three seasons with no hawk attacks. So our strategy must change.
Anyway, it is just a little therapeutic to write it all out. We will miss our Kiwi bird. For those who have lost a bird to a hawk, you have a new grieving heart to share in this experience. Thanks for reading and peace to you all.
Her name was Kiwi. She was a peculiar little bird with a green-blue egg. White feathers with a splash of red and some little cheek puffs. She knew just how to get out of the protected area and taught her clutch mates how as well. They loved to scratch around the yard and poop everywhere. Sometimes she would just stay in the coop and let us pet her. And she was the easiest bird to pick up when friends and their kids would come to see the chickens. A party favorite for all.
We got snow at the end of this week. She seemed to blend right in as it was melting, but she was the only white bird. She made it through summer and fall without being picked out by a predator, so not really thinking her best camouflage would be her weakness. Our electric perimeter fence has worked to keep land predators out of the chicken yard, and they have a covered run also. But Kiwi was spotted from above at the edge of the woods. The attack occurred in the middle of the chicken yard. The hawk now knows everyone is there. The trees usually protect everyone but with no leaf coverage yet and red tail presence really high, I guess it was inevitable. We have had chickens out there for two or three seasons with no hawk attacks. So our strategy must change.
Anyway, it is just a little therapeutic to write it all out. We will miss our Kiwi bird. For those who have lost a bird to a hawk, you have a new grieving heart to share in this experience. Thanks for reading and peace to you all.
