California - Northern

[Hangtown Farms]

I keep thinking I need to get rid of someone. I can't even bring myself to let go of my 2 year old feedstore egg flock (of course it would help if some of the lazy LF would start laying). My campines and lakenvelder lay pretty reliably, but not the size my customers like. I have spoiled them with jumbo eggs.

On a brighter note, I scored a 6x10 pen today on CL. We'll be ready for the ducks when they arrive.

Deb

Nice... 6 x 10 pen is a nice size.

 

[juststruttin]

I got a problem. Today my White Empordanesa rooster was killed. That hawk. I am going to have to lock my chickens up the next few days till I can kill him Saturday. I am so frustrated. I can not even believe it. That thing is going to suffer.

Jason, I am truly sorry

Do you have any backup?

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Jason, I am truly sorry

Do you have any backup?

no Luann said she would send me another one. I really liked this guy though. I have to get the situation handled though this weekend. Then I will see. My chickens are all traumatized after the last few days. They both died doing there job. I have to protect my crele at all costs though. I am sure this guy is just passing through but I do not want to loose all my crele rooster to him. Is a real set back.
.

 

[juststruttin]

yes he was. he was doing his job I am sure. I have to get rid of the problem though. I do not have a way to cover them.
I see where he perches though. I was very surprised that he could swoop in to the Empordanesa run. It is narrow and long with many obstacles.
I put the grow up run by there small coop for the next few days. will keep the rest in there bigger coop until I can take care of the situation. Saturday am

Vineyard bird netting is pretty cheap and comes in wide widths. Could that work on your smaller runs?

 

[lawatt]

no Luann said she would send me another one. I really liked this guy though. I have to get the situation handled though this weekend. Then I will see. My chickens are all traumatized after the last few days. They both died doing there job. I have to protect my crele at all costs though. I am sure this guy is just passing through but I do not want to loose all my crele rooster to him. Is a real set back.
.

i'm sorry for your losses -- but although raptors (hawks and eagles etc) are protected legally by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, I don't think they generally are migratory, so it's not likely to be only passing through -- and once it's learned to take chickens, it will probably continue to do so if given the opportunity.

are the chickens free-ranging when they've been taken, or are they in runs? I've got a covered run, using corrugated plastic panels -- not terribly expensive, and so far quite effective. also wire over the top of a run would probably work -- or vineyard netting, as Deann suggested.

but also remember that we've moved into the other animals' habitat, and so we've got to learn to live with/around them -- or, at least expect that we will lose some birds to them if the birds don't have enough protection.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

yes they free range in a large chicken area. however my white emp's are in a smaller run that is long and narrow. I thought it would of been hard for the hawk to get proper lift to get out. they usually do not go into tight areas. Luckily my other chickens stayed in the coop. I saw blood drops in a line going towards the other end of the run so maybe he got injured and will stay away.

 

[zooweemama]

no Luann said she would send me another one. I really liked this guy though. I have to get the situation handled though this weekend. Then I will see. My chickens are all traumatized after the last few days. They both died doing there job. I have to protect my crele at all costs though. I am sure this guy is just passing through but I do not want to loose all my crele rooster to him. Is a real set back.
.

I'm sorry! That's just terrible. Hawk attacts suck because other than netting or full time cooping them- there isn't anything you can do.

 

[Miss Molly]

I got a problem. Today my White Empordanesa rooster was killed. That hawk. I am going to have to lock my chickens up the next few days till I can kill him Saturday. I am so frustrated. I can not even believe it. That thing is going to suffer.

Oh Jason, I am so sorry. It is so disheartening to wait so long to start a project, Then get your rooster taken before you get eggs.. Totally bummed for you...

 

[ronott1]

OMG! When you have 30 eggs in lockdown, you can hear them peeping over the incubator fan....

A bunch of them must have pipped internally already. They hatch on Friday(or tomorrow?)

Gotta love healthy local chickens!

 

[Miss Molly]

I ended up with ten Chicks out of the unexpected hatch... Love the Blue