Can small, flighty breeds avoid birds of prey?

[Game]

i would get a few american game hens, and maybe a hamburgh or to
u will need alot of cover, as well

if u could get a malay or shamo rooster just for the fact that they can fight off a variety of predators

 

[centrarchid]

centrarchid, do you think an Egyptian Fayoumis rooster might work?

negative

 

[Boichik86]

Hawks can and will kill ALL types of birds
You just have to take your chances

Yes that's true, however my experience has been breeds such as leghorns will have a much better chance at escaping predators than a say a fat little cornish rock, or completely flightless bantam cochin... That being said, the poster's question as to which breed has the best predator avoidance qualities is a valid one. It is also helpful to have a few large birds like turkeys or geese around, especially if they were raised by or with chickens as the grew up.

 

[BarneyChick97]

I'm sorry, but we live in Skagit county (very close to Padilla bay), and if you don't build something that has a sturdy roof there is no chances. Even for flighty ones! I used to live on Whidbey also. There are a lot of people with chickens it seems now, and the birds of prey are out for food. We had one kill and devour one of our ducks (they were all out running together on a rainy day). We used to let everyone run where ever they liked (there are shelter trees and a large coop with a roof too), chickens, turkeys and ducks. And if they get one, they will keep coming back.

I quickly lost my respect for those birds. I don't know "which" one got her, but it was either a redtail or an eagle. I hear them screeching in the trees around us, and it angers me. I really love my birds. If anyone gets to eat them, it should be US. Plus, for them to die so slowly and suffer is terrible.

Best of luck to you.

 

[animals1981]

you need oriental game fowl

but a red tail can kill any chicken their feet are so strong, once it nails the chicken in the head the chicken is dead.


Geese and turkey are safe.

 

[scooter147]

Brown and silver leghorns are quick. Good looking birds too.
That being said if you watched the You Tube video in this thread (and you say you did) you will see why no chicken is safe from hawks unless they are in a hawk proof run. Did you see how fast that hawk came out of the trees and around he building, no chicken can move that fast.
Many say have plenty of places to hide, well these hens were hiding in the building and the hawk just went right on in like he owned the place. If they spot a hen run under a piece of wood or a bush they do just what this hawk did, go to ground and chase it down. Remember hawks can see mice on the ground from hundreds of feet in the air, a big ole chickens sprinting, flapping across the yard to hidey spot isn't going to get past them. I realize the chickens were "sitting ducks" but in open range the hawks will eventually get a chicken, fact of life if you free range. My experience is once they get one they just keep coming back.

 

[animals1981]

I have never heard of someone having hawk issues with samutra are they really fast and aggressive?

 

[Teery]

Yes, that is what I'm reading in other threads. I just watched this Youtube video and it's pretty intense. It was shot right here in Western Washington. I don't even have chickens yet and I'm already paranoid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWHFHPGgq7o

Yep, I saw that video a couple of days ago. No protection from the top....

 

[cgmccary]

I have had a Cooper's Hawk land like that on the ground & saw my larger Buckeye rooster run at it and chase it off (and continue to not let it land). My brother also witnessed a Game rooster kill a Red-Tailed Hawk that had caught a hen (landing within reach of the Game's tether) -- these are the exceptions rather than the rule. That being said, I do not lose any free ranging birds to hawks. My donkey and dogs do not recognize a hawk as a predator.

Buckeyes are active and I have out three Buckeye roosters with my hens. One rooster in particular is very protective of his hens. My La Fleche hens are flighty & I have seen them fly out of the forest like Guineas. I keep Toulouse Geese (now 8 of them) and they would tear a hawk apart. I also let the crows forage freely about. I have a whole family of crows that stay here all day -- this all helps, I think.

I never like seeing a Cooper's Hawk hunt-- a large, brave rooster in that coop (in the video) might have been a deterrent. One good game rooster is worth keeping on the place if you have hens just for laying. Game roosters forage for a lot of their food and eat very little feed. If I was not breeding & just wanted to keep a rooster, it is what I would choose.

 

[animals1981]

I also heard of shamoo and malay as powerful fighters kicking flogging raccrooons in the head during the day.


Has anyone that owned them seen this?


someone that has pheonix said their phoenix rooster spurred and attacked a fox, A lot of predators get confused by prey that does not scream and run and starts attacking them. I have never seen it happen, i have seen them attack dogs but the attacks dont seem to get past a dogs thick skin and you can tell the dog does not take it serious.


I have seen them attack cats also but I never see any damage to the cat or any skin breaking.