Another loss, thinking some aerial predator.

[LikeTurkeys]

Hi everyone.
In October last year I lost 5 chickens to a coyote that got in because I forgot to close the door. An automatic chicken door is a work in progress right now to fix that situation. I lost a hen last month due to internal laying, and yesterday another to some predator (thinking hawk).

I'm sitting at the table in the kitchen when all of a sudden I hear a loud commotion outside. The rooster is screaming out danger with all his might, but he's not as close to the house as he usually is. Lately (past week), the chickens have been going out to the part of our property that is an open slope with no cover instead of staying closer by and under the trees like they normally do. I'm not sure why, and the lesson struck home today.

I walk out into the yard to investigate, count my chickens and there's only 3 adults, not 4. So I look out further into the field and see nothing, no feathers or blood. Look at my neighbors fence, see that all 3 of his dogs are in (they've gotten out before and killed chickens). Then I go inside and review the backyard security camera. I see the chicks (9 weeks) suddenly rush under the trees, and my EE run out from the side yard under the trampoline. Then I see the other two chickens (including the rooster) coming from WAY out there in the back running real fast. I only see two though, and I'm thinking the one that was killed was with them, not with the EE in the side yard. Unfortunately the trees blocked most of the view to the open slope so I couldn't see what actually happened.

I noticed that in the past week there has been a sudden influx of large birds flying about. Just two days ago I saw a pair of bald eagles with some prey flying low and to the north. I kept thinking to myself, 'wow, maybe I shouldn't let the chickens out when there's so many' but since I had never had an attack I didn't act on it. Now I'm paying the price. The reason I also think it's some aerial predator is because of the lack of any feathers or blood. She was a (relatively) heavy chicken too, 5 1/2 pounds easy, so I'm thinking a bigger bird here.

What can I do to prevent this? Does this mean an end to my free ranging experience since the hawks have discovered where chicken dinner is? The birds are all locked up in the coop right now.

RIP (chicken in the middle, named 'Cement' by my little sister...)

 

[azygous]

Repetitive routine behavior of prey assists predators in their predations. This is true for aerial, ground and even human predators. They depend on predictable activity to prey on the unsuspecting.

Try varying the free-ranging activities of your chickens. Skip a day every so often. One day, let them range from morning until noon. Another day, the last three hours of the day. Mix it up.

This won't assure perfect safety, but it will greatly increase the odds in favor of your chickens.

 

[cmom]

I stopped letting my birds out a few years ago because of predators but they have nice large safe pens. If you free range, usually sooner or later the birds will be discovered. Good luck...

 

[Folly's place]

I keep mine in for two or more weeks if there's been a predator, especially a raptor that can't be managed any other way. Having a large enough coop and covered run, so they don't go nuts while confined is important!
More overhead cover helps too. Now that they've had this experience, they are going to be more careful out there, which also helps.
Try having a game camera set up if possible, it will be interesting, at least.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And I'm so sorry for your loss!
Mary

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Thanks all for your replies.

Repetitive routine behavior of prey assists predators in their predations. This is true for aerial, ground and even human predators. They depend on predictable activity to prey on the unsuspecting.

Try varying the free-ranging activities of your chickens. Skip a day every so often. One day, let them range from morning until noon. Another day, the last three hours of the day. Mix it up.

This won't assure perfect safety, but it will greatly increase the odds in favor of your chickens.

Thank you, I will certainly do this. Right now they're locked up so maybe that hawk (or whatever it was) will forget where it last got chicken dinner after not seeing them for awhile. Then I will make it more random, so that the consistency of it won't cause another attack.

I stopped letting my birds out a few years ago because of predators but they have nice large safe pens. If you free range, usually sooner or later the birds will be discovered. Good luck...

Thanks. I'm still planning on free ranging, but will be mixing it up like @azygous advised.

I keep mine in for two or more weeks if there's been a predator, especially a raptor that can't be managed any other way. Having a large enough coop and covered run, so they don't go nuts while confined is important!
More overhead cover helps too. Now that they've had this experience, they are going to be more careful out there, which also helps.
Try having a game camera set up if possible, it will be interesting, at least.
Mary

They have a big coop which is walk in and has wire sides. Normally they have overhead cover (lots of trees) but for some reason they suddenly started going out to the open part of our property in the past week. Definitely going to keep them locked up for at least 2 weeks. Heh, game camera would probably be interesting but too expensive to be worth it... (probably). I'm pretty sure I know what happened...

What's also interesting (to me anyway) is the sudden increase in large, predatory birds the past 2 weeks or so. Could it be because of spring?

 

[Shezadandy]

What's worked really well for us- no teeth or talon deaths ever, in 5 years, is a good quality net over the top. We used 4" round, 12ft long treated posts at strategic spots to keep the tension and make walking around inside no problem at all. We did 6ft chain link and hardware cloth top to bottom. The only 'predator' I've lost a bird to was our ex-neighbor's idiot dog who chased my flock around on the hottest day at the hottest time for several minutes before I caught him- deaths were heart failure/heat exhaustion, no disappearances, no losses from teeth into flesh.

From above it's nearly invisible, and unless you're looking straight up at the sky, you'd never notice it walking around either.

I've been in the pen, 10 feet away from a broody with chicks- and had a hawk dive at them with me right there. Now, because of the net, the hawk bounced right off- tried multiple times as it flew along- so we're talking tried and true. I've seen them attack more than once but eventually they figure it out.

It's secured to the fence with zip ties - with chainlink it's easy to tuck it into the top links for tension.

I got it on Amazon, search "aviary net" - I'd stay away from the obvious plastic ones. Go with the polyester knotted variety - it holds up to a lot of abuse. https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Bird-Ne...1_4?keywords=aviary+net&qid=1584254735&sr=8-4

There are multiple options for sizing. It does take time to get installed right- if you do go with netting, have 2-3 people and DON'T cut it to size. Install it then trim. It stretches in different directions than you might think.

 

[Folly's place]

Many birds are migrating right now, and hungry.
Your flock might have had a scare in their usual preferred haunts, or the pickings might have been better out there in the sun, with warmer ground.
Mary

 

[cmom]

Heh, game camera would probably be interesting but too expensive to be worth it... (probably). I'm pretty sure I know what happened...

I have several game cameras up around on my property and have been surprised at the number of predators that roam at night here. This camera may be worth checking out. The price is $39.99 with a 5% off coupon which saves a couple of dollars. It should also take good nighttime pictures of any predators that roam at night. Good luck and have fun...
https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-S...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

 

[LikeTurkeys]

What's worked really well for us- no teeth or talon deaths ever, in 5 years, is a good quality net over the top. We used 4" round, 12ft long treated posts at strategic spots to keep the tension and make walking around inside no problem at all. We did 6ft chain link and hardware cloth top to bottom. The only 'predator' I've lost a bird to was our ex-neighbor's idiot dog who chased my flock around on the hottest day at the hottest time for several minutes before I caught him- deaths were heart failure/heat exhaustion, no disappearances, no losses from teeth into flesh.

From above it's nearly invisible, and unless you're looking straight up at the sky, you'd never notice it walking around either.

I've been in the pen, 10 feet away from a broody with chicks- and had a hawk dive at them with me right there. Now, because of the net, the hawk bounced right off- tried multiple times as it flew along- so we're talking tried and true. I've seen them attack more than once but eventually they figure it out.

It's secured to the fence with zip ties - with chainlink it's easy to tuck it into the top links for tension.

I got it on Amazon, search "aviary net" - I'd stay away from the obvious plastic ones. Go with the polyester knotted variety - it holds up to a lot of abuse. https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Bird-Ne...1_4?keywords=aviary+net&qid=1584254735&sr=8-4

There are multiple options for sizing. It does take time to get installed right- if you do go with netting, have 2-3 people and DON'T cut it to size. Install it then trim. It stretches in different directions than you might think.
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Nice setup you have there! I'm sure that was a lot of work. That looks pretty permanent, but I'm not sure I'm willing to go to the effort of doing all of that (esp. considering that it will be mainly my dad, not me who will have to do it). Also, like I said, normally they have cover, but something caused them to go out further than they normally do.

I do have to say that your birds are VERY well protected! I like your setup!

Many birds are migrating right now, and hungry.
Your flock might have had a scare in their usual preferred haunts, or the pickings might have been better out there in the sun, with warmer ground.
Mary

Ah, could be. Would be interesting to find out what the scare was, (if that was the reason).

I have several game cameras up around on my property and have been surprised at the number of predators that roam at night here. This camera may be worth checking out. The price is $39.99 with a 5% off coupon which saves a couple of dollars. It should also take good nighttime pictures of any predators that roam at night. Good luck and have fun...
https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-S...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Cheaper than I thought they were, I'll look into it thanks.