Can't handle the hawk stress!!!

[CheerfulHeart2]

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Wow. You are a great story teller. This would make a good move. That said and your wonderful humor aside, I am so sorry for your trauma and your lost birds.

ETA - and your deaprted cat. My cat is dear to my heart.

 

[annie3001]

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we too have alot of crows in my yard.
i have watched crows gather together and push out the hawk. it was an amazing site to watch. i had heard strange bird noises and knew something wasnt right,, girls were running back from free ranging.. sure enough a hawk appeared but then about 3 -4 black crows made their appearance and quickly moved in to get the hawk out of their terriorty. i ended up seeing 2 hawks that day.
i am sorry that you found your missing cat, but atleast now you can have closure.
glad your chickens are safe.

 

[gardenergirl]

coastaltx - I know that nature happens and my bantams are part of the food chain, but it is still very sad to lose a chicken to a hawk. Especially since my 4 are my pets and not just chickens. I feel badly for anyone who loses one of their birds to pests/predators/disease, etc.

 

[coastaltx]

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I can have no sympathy for anybody who puts their animals at risk, and then blames the predator. If an animal means soooooo much, contain it or deal with the outcome . Makes no difference; chicken, cat, dog, etc. Protect it, or risk losing it.

 

[kayri]

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I can have no sympathy for anybody who puts their animals at risk, and then blames the predator. If an animal means soooooo much, contain it or deal with the outcome . Makes no difference; chicken, cat, dog, etc. Protect it, or risk losing it.

I really have tried to contain my birds I netted and fenced in an area about 30 x 15 feet for them, plus two covered hoop houses about 12 x 4, so they do have a reasonable area to run in (especially now that there are so few of them

,). I only let them out when I am around, and I knew they were under the deck, but who would have thought that hawk would walk 20 ft under a deck to get them!!! Of course I know that it is illegal to kill a hawk and I do admire their beauty, but they are sooooo brazen around here lately. I heard that our neighbors to the left lost 6 to hawks over the past 3 months and our neighbors up the hill lost one prompting my sister to ask if the hawks would get a vitamin deficiency if they only ate chicken?. Anyway, my chickens do like to get out and they kick the fence a lot and devise ways to sneak out if I don't let them out everyday, but it is tough with work and all to get back before dark everyday. I think my neighbors think I am nuts because I spend so much time standing in the middle of my yard in the wintertime staring at the sky. . .

Thanks to all for the kind words about the chickens and my cat. I am working on ways to attract more crows to the yard and counting each day as a victory until things start to leaf out. . .


I love BYC, because everyone else I know thinks I am just nuts.

 

[gardenergirl]

Wow, some people are really not very nice! I don't think many of us "blames" the predator. And, we take very good care of our pets! Lighten up!

 

[halo]

I have hawks here, and have seen more evidence of them lately. I have my birds in protected covered runs during the day, and they only free range when Im home and late in the evening so I can watch them before they go home to roost. Im not sure Ive seen a hawk that could get a full grown bird here; the few Ive lost have been chicks that slipped out of the run and I didnt know. Im surprised that a hawk could have gotten a full grown marans; thats a big bird.

 

[KKatknap]

I have to agree with the post that said you are a great storyteller! I could picture the whole thing as I read it. And was totally horrified with you at all of it! Well done saving your Adele! And I'm very sorry about your kitty. They tend to go hide when they know they are going to pass.

Obviously we all try to protect our pets/livestock as best we can. I know people who have invested in "fort knox" style enclosures...and things still happen. I have sympathy for anyone who loses something they love. Regardless of why.

 

[redhen]

Its such a hard thing..
because i really feel for the hawks..they are just trying to survive. They are very hungry. And chickens are a pretty easy meal for them. And i feel bad for any animal thats just trying to live and thats hungry... its not easy to live and find food in the wild...

Then on the other hand... Sometimes i want them gone! because i've lost birds to them too.. (one of my FAVORITE hens..

)
it really is hard.. so sorry about your kitty too!

 

[chickerdoodle]

I am sorry about the "uncomfortable" discovery of your cat but at least you know now. The hawks must be desperately hungry or they wouldn't risk going that far under your deck--kind of sad for them too. Poor Adele, she must of been so frightened but you were a good mom to crawl under there. It goes without much fanfare that netting needs to be more secure as those raptors are fighting for their own lives.