Osprey Hanging Around

[soospickle]

Hi all!
There have seen several Osprey hanging around our place this week. I heard them before I saw them and let me tell you, I have never collected my chickens so fast in my life! They have been in their covered run ever since, but I feel bad not letting them free range. I definitely value their lives more than letting them out and exposed, as they are mainly pets with benefits for us, but I don't want to keep them in forever (maybe I'm being super protective/paranoid). Does anyone have experience with Osprey and the best way to keep them uninterested in my flock? I even thought about sewing them little reflective/shiny fabric vests for when they are out and around the yard, lol. I have attached their photos for cuteness!

 

[50-45-1]

I live next to tall radio and cell phone towers and Osprey commonly will land up on top of those towers and eat the fish they have cought. They are also quite amazing to watch when their fledglings circle as they are taught how to hunt and live.
My free range chickens would be easily seen from up there and not once in 50 years have they shown any interest in coming down and taking one.
Your population of hawks will be your worry. They fly lower and within concealment of trees. You likely will not see them coming and neither will the chickens.
A sharp shin hawk (about the size of a morning dove) killed several of my birds a few years ago.
They of course could not take the chicken, bit just ate there fill and came back for a meal another day.
Free ranging is always risky
Good luck!
Your girls are beautiful!

 

[nuthatched]

Osprey are fish hawks, they will likely never be interested in your chickens.

 

[soospickle]

I live next to tall radio and cell phone towers and Osprey commonly will land up on top of those towers and eat the fish they have cought. They are also quite amazing to watch when their fledglings circle as they are taught how to hunt and live.
My free range chickens would be easily seen from up there and not once in 50 years have they shown any interest in coming down and taking one.
Your population of hawks will be your worry. They fly lower and within concealment of trees. You likely will not see them coming and neither will the chickens.
A sharp shin hawk (about the size of a morning dove) killed several of my birds a few years ago.
They of course could not take the chicken, bit just ate there fill and came back for a meal another day.
Free ranging is always risky
Good luck!
Your girls are beautiful!

This definitely gives me some comfort! Luckily we haven’t seen hawks around (yet), this is the only ‘raptor’ we had since I started one year ago. I’m so sorry to hear about your previous experience with hawks, it can’t be easy!

 

[soospickle]

Osprey are fish hawks, they will likely never be interested in your chickens.

Thank you! This definitely makes me less nervous.