11 raptors attacking my chickens this morning!

[bryan99705]

Sounds like time to start using a covered run, Deer netting or fruit tree netting will stop birds (but not coon) and is inexpensive

 

[paperdragonfarm]

I try to give people the benefit of a doubt about animal identification. But having worked as a wildlife rehabber it gets so...hard. I can't count on all my digits the calls we've gotten to come pick up an injured raptor only to find crows, a blue jays, a domestic parrot and...oh the horror of horror...a gull. We take gulls, but there is something fundamentally unsettling about being all suited up for combat only to have a beady eyed "Mine!" in response.
As for the birds of what ever sort they are, now is the time most birds are fledgling. It's possible you had more than one family group working together. Some hawks are so hopped up on parenting hormones they'll do that when normally they'd like nothing better than to eat each other. Time for an enclosed run or more dogs dedicated to guarding. How many did you end up losing?

 

[NYChicks345]

I live in central New York state and the exact same thing happened yesterday and today.... Lost 6 chickens

 

[dinahmoe]

did they ever kill or take any chcikens or did the chickens just run fromthe sight of a predator.
i had the same problem but they turned out to be "kites".i watched them closely and they did not bother my chickens,just swooped down and the chickens would run.the kites came up with june bugs and grasshoppers.they stayed about 2 months and now are gone.yes,they are pradators but eat very small things,so chicks could be on their list but i didn't lose 1 adult chicken to them.they were actually very graceful to watch.

 

[chkn]

You know, maybe this time of year is a little risky. Animals ranging farther and young ones reaching adulthood. Last November here it was a fox and her kit.

 

[centurion90]

Vultures are classified as birds of prey and have the equipment to do alot of damage. Their beaks are designed to tear through flesh and they will take live prey on occasion. I have personally seen vultures take baby chickens on several occasions. They also dont show much fear towards humans. I have had vultures buzz by my head and stand their ground when approached. Turkeys vultures have red faces and legs. They also travel in large groups so they could have been your culprits.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Turkey vutures do not commonly take live prey, although as you statred, they may ocasionally if there is no other food source available. Black vultures, on the other hadn will OFTEN take live prey.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Broad winged hawks cover much of the US in the summer and congregate into large groups and migrate to the tropics wintering from Mexico to Brazil.
As they migrate they make large sweeping circles obviously looking for food. I bet going from here to brazil makes you hungry.

I guess these guys didn't see my chickens as they were passing over. I imagine it takes a lot of chickens to feed this group.

This was in early October and at the speed they were travelling they were probably in Alabama about the time you saw them.

 

[annep]

Quote:
Thanks for my morning giggle!

 

[annep]

Do you have a dog and were they any kind of deterrant?