Buzzards

[peafowl_Lover]

Hi all can a buzzard attack chickens
(Not the vulture kind of buzzards) I'm asking because I live near a woods and there is loads of buzzards the crows and rooks usually keep them away but I have some young hens and they are quite small. Thanks

 

[Penpal]

Buzzards are vultures. They only eat carrion. Crows and rooks also eat carrion, which is why they run off the buzzards.

 

[Krugerrand]

Buzzards are vultures. They only eat carrion. Crows and rooks also eat carrion, which is why they run off the buzzards.

My understanding is that turkey vultures will 'only' eat carrion. However, if they get REALLY hungry, they can 'make their own carrion.' Black vultures will kill and eat chickens.

I know there are threads of turkey vultures killing peoples chickens.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Sorry, but im talking about these buzzards, the pics on Google suggests it kills for food

 

[Krugerrand]

Sorry, but im talking about these buzzards, the pics on Google suggests it kills for foodView attachment 3718079

yes, that will kill a chicken.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Oh no! Sometimes they circle over the hens and they all run to the coop

 

[Krugerrand]

Oh no! Sometimes they circle over the hens and they all run to the coop

They've got good instincts. That's great. How you look to go forward depends on lots of factors. We have 4 hens that are mostly egg producing pets. Losing one would be devastating to the kids. So, my girls spend full time in a fully enclosed large run. They get some time out of it when somebody can be with them at nearly all times.

If you have roosters, they are not 100% protection against hawks/buzzards. But, good ones should provide early alerts and guide hens to safer cover. (That implies that you have some safe cover locations ... bushes, small structures, etc.)

Any free ranging has risks. If you have a larger flock and have hens raising clutches of new chicks, then you may be more willing to take on some of those risks. Free ranging birds that are raising their own chicks can get 'smarter' as the flock develops. Survival of the fittest leaves you with some birds that know how to avoid their predators. Especially if you are careful in selecting which hens and roosters get to stick around.

There are lots of articles around here on trying to put things in your favor as it relates to birds of prey. Still, it's up to you to figure out what risks are worth taking.

Good luck .... lots of people here have experience to help if you run into any questions, etc.

 

[texsuze]

In North America, falcons, hawks and eagles are the most common aerial predators of many critters, including birds, although eagles (and ospreys) prefer fish; all are capable of attacking chooks. Turkey vultures and black vultures ("buzzards") are much more likely to seek out and eat carrion, but depending upon food availability, almost anything is possible.

My hens know the difference between the predatory birds (hawks, falcons) and our vulture species when they see them flying overhead.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Yes i have a rooster and he probably would give up his life for his girls he's quite devoted. But I would hate to loose him, my hens are beside my house so I don't think they'll fly down but I'll be careful.

 

[nuthatched]

Yes, the buzzard will attack your birds.
no, your rooster will likely not do a thing to stop it.