Birds of Prey:0 Me:2

[PioneerChicks]

I honestly grabbed my phone so that I could take a picture of it, but I was too into helping it to even grab a picture. I didn't want it to get injured on my fencing.

Good choice! The bird should matter more than a picture, though a picture that close would be cool. I have to agree with you, birds of prey are beautiful!

I actually don't think it was osprey or a hawk now... Peregrine Falcon is actually what I think I saw. It wasn't brown so I don't know why I just thought it was an Osprey I'm in shock I think. In shock from the beauty I just saw. My adrenaline is through the roof!

I honestly thought it was an owl at first because it was gray and white. But it wasn't plump like an owl.

A perigrine falcon is more likely than an osprey.

I honestly wanted to chicken out and not go near it because it was huge! But not as big as my jersey giants so I pep talked to myself to walk down into the run with it.

I kept calm so I didn't scare it anymore than it already was.

When I walked out of the house I said to it "Drop my bird and I'll help you out!" I instantly grabbed it's attention and it let go of my polish.

That was so brave!

I'm not very good at identifying birds besides the coloring I see. It all happened so fast that I wasn't thinking about more than helping the bird of prey get out of my fenced in run. I didn't want it to get injured even if it did probably injure my polish.

It is probably a juvenile that is having trouble surviving, so it came down for an easy chicken dinner. Juveniles often look different from adults, so keep that in mind.
I know a lot about birds of prey on Idaho but near nothing about them in Virginia.

Good luck keeping it away and have a good day!

 

[FortCluck]

Good choice! The bird should matter more than a picture, though a picture that close would be cool. I have to agree with you, birds of prey are beautiful!


A perigrine falcon is more likely than an osprey.



That was so brave!


It is probably a juvenile that is having trouble surviving, so it came down for an easy chicken dinner. Juveniles often look different from adults, so keep that in mind.
I know a lot about birds of prey on Idaho but near nothing about them in Virginia.

Good luck keeping it away and have a good day!

It was definitely terrified that I got very close to it. I tried to use my calming voice with it so that it knew I was not there to harm it. I know that it was just trying to get a chicken to have a meal, so I'm not upset about it. I'm sure my chicken is fine and I'll see her later on today.

It's calm here now so I'm just enjoying the rest of my day! I'm just glad that it did not go where the chicks were. They can't defend themselves so they're easy targets.

 

[cmom]

My hubby was cutting some wood on his table saw which was less than 10 feet away from some chicks in a small temporary pen. A hawk swooped down and grabbed a chick and flew off with it. It happened so fast I can't even say what kind of hawk it was. From then on when I put them out I covered the pen with some netting. This is what I used for them.

 

[FortCluck]

My hubby was cutting some wood on his table saw which was less than 10 feet away from some chicks in a small temporary pen. A hawk swooped down and grabbed a chick and flew off with it. It happened so fast I can't even say what kind of hawk it was. From then on when I put them out I covered the pen with some netting. This is what I used for them. View attachment 1967638 View attachment 1967639View attachment 1967637

My run is way to big to use any type of netting that's why I use fishing line.

Our run seems to get bigger and bigger every couple months!

I'm glad you found something that worked to keep them away! I had a raven that took a chick in the spring.

 

[apryl29]

I think you'll be able to see it if you blow up the image. We need to add a bit more.

Where the hawk was, was on the other side of the yard and there's a bit less of the fishing line because we ran out, but I will be buying another roll.
The dog kennel has fishing line too only a foot apart because my chicks are in there. This pic was taken before the chicks were in there.

View attachment 1967481

It's hard to see on this pic, but a hawk can clearly see the obstacle which stops them. a friend of mine has used this technique for over 10 years and shared it with me. It's not 100% fool proof or predator prood, but it does work to an extent.

View attachment 1967486

The hawk was right where the second red sex link is. We need to put more fishing line, but I am always home so I usually can react pretty quick.
View attachment 1967487

I previously had this over my run.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/EASY-GARDENER-INC-15544-7x21-Garden-Netting/24816919
It worked well for the year that I used it and it never broke or tore, but I replaced it w/ chicken wire b/c I live in OH and it snows here. I was worried the weight of the snow would cause it to break. With your set up you might be able to pull tie it to the fence railing & the fishing line would help support it.

 

[FortCluck]

Found my polish. She just kicked my butt too. I snuck up on her when it was dark to put her in the coop and she flipped. She scratched me pretty bad on my hand, but I got her in the coop.

Only damage she has are some of her feathers on her tail got ripped out.

 

[Chickassan]

This is what I see maybe two or three times a week here.
They are very bold little things!

It could be I'm in Virginia, it was definitely gray and white... And beautiful.

It looked like my Polish was fighting back when I walked outside making it hard for it to take off.

I don't know where my polish went

I have 21 chicks in a 30x40 ft dog kennel so I'm glad it didn't go after them, but that has a lot of fishing line. The chicks all hid in their coop, I went out there and told them how smart they are.

 

[FortCluck]

This is what I see maybe two or three times a week here.
They are very bold little things!

It definitely was scared of me! I tried to calm it down, but it's wild. I'm just glad the bird got out and that my polish seems fine!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

In the future, bring a pair of blue jeans with you! Many hawks when they feel totally cornered will present their talons to try to claw at you. You can use the jeans layered to protect your hands and if needed even your arms all the way up and just lift to bird and carry them out through the people gate.

Proof from a somewhat similar situation in my yard.

Trapped hawk in the chicken tractor.

In my jammies carrying it out of my lawn.

(It later flew away relatively unharmed. The cornish crosses it failed to hunt did a number on it.)

 

[FortCluck]

In the future, bring a pair of blue jeans with you! Many hawks when they feel totally cornered will present their talons to try to claw at you. You can use the jeans layered to protect your hands and if needed even your arms all the way up and just lift to bird and carry them out through the people gate.

Proof from a somewhat similar situation in my yard.
View attachment 1967883
Trapped hawk in the chicken tractor.

View attachment 1967884
In my jammies carrying it out of my lawn.

(It later flew away relatively unharmed. The cornish crosses it failed to hunt did a number on it.)

I think my polish fought back from what I could see before it got off her and focused on me. I had a t-shirt on, but I did have pants on. I was just trying to react fast before I tried to mess with anyone else.