Big Daddy vs The Hawk

[Mortos]

Yesterday I was feeding my 6 chickens some treats when a bird flew over us. I didn't really pay attention to it because there are several crows that live around and they like to fly by and see what treats they can steal once I go back in the house. This time though my biggest rooster, Big Daddy, let out this low guttural squawk and all of the chickens immediately stopped what they were doing and began to crowd into a corner near my house behind some ice chests. Big Daddy let out another one as, what I could now see was a hawk, swooped by again, this time even lower. The chickens remained huddled in the corner and made no noise. Big Daddy remained a few feet from them, eyes scanning the sky.

The hawk flew up into a tree nearby and waited. I walked over to the tree and waved my arms and shouted and it flew to another tree a 40 feet away. I approached and it, again, flew to another tree a short distance away. After losing 6 chickens to predators of various types, including a Ford F150, I am pretty protective of my flock and I wasn't going to let this hawk get a free chicken dinner at my expense. I walked over to the tree it was in and it again flew off and perched on the top of a telephone pole a hundred yards away from my property.

I got my camera and zoomed in to get some pictures of this admittedly beautiful bird.

The hawk didn't get a chicken dinner that day thanks to Big Daddy's warning and my persistence but I did get to shoot it several times (with my Nikon P90). I took some pictures of Big Daddy and some of the other chickens 20 minutes after the incident and they had gone back to being chickens foraging for treats. Big Daddy got a few extra grapes for his service to the flock.

 

[wegotchickens]

Go Big Daddy!

That looks like a young hawk. Or someone ate it's tail!

I have several roos and was really proud 2 weeks ago. They relayed calls and all the birds hid in the woods. I walked out of the coop in time for a hawk to swoop right over me. Also a young bird, too small to be my usual redtails. Mine only free-range when I'm right there with them!

 

[lcw1995]

hawk looks pretty small.
but better safe then sorry.
BEAUTIFUL CHICKENS!

 

[Inkheart]

great pictures and thanks for the story- i agree GO BIG DADDY!

 

[Mortos]

That's how I have started to treat mine. They may be only worth $5 - $10 in real dollars but with the emotional and time investment from me, they are worth far more than money. My EE started laying eggs last week and she is the only one so I am darn sure not gonna lose her to some cat, dog or hawk after waiting nearly six months to get eggs.

Does anyone know what kind of hawk that is. It looked a lot bigger with it's full wing span in swooping flight

 

[theoldchick]

This time of year is rough for the newly fledged hawks. Either they learn or die. Anyway, yeah for Big Daddy! His name is perfect!

 

[wegotchickens]

It *might* be a young redtail, but I don't know enough to be sure. I've seen a mature redtail close up, and know that (much like chickens) their plumage changes as they mature.

Here's a mature redtail female:

 

[FoodKillah]

Big Daddy is the man hehehe i bet he would eat this poor hawk alive anytime if he had the chance

 

[lovinlife]

It's great to see a rooster doing his job.

He's very handsome.

 

[tamberlin]

That red tail is the size that got my EE last week. I've been having nightmares because the two of us had an endless staring contest until it flew off. Of course, it just gets bigger with memory!