Chicken Hawk SwoopsDown On Chickens

[seminolewind]

The hawks here are always flying low to take a look. But my run is covered with sun shade, like real thick screen for shade or privacy.

 

[tffstpp]

You can legally kill them if they are killing off your livestock. That goes for nearly any animail -bear, coyote, bobcat, etc.

I had a bear come a few years ago that killed over 20 of my chickens. We called the game commision and they came and took care of the bear and told us that in situations where wild animals are feeding off of livestock, it is legal to kill the animal.

So, by all means, get those hawks taken care of.

 

[czgarcia]

Yesterday a hawk (red tail?) took one of my Belgian Bearded Duccles! I heard a ruckus while I was cleaning and looked out to see it flying across the yard with the poor girl screaming! My husband yelled at it and ran out. I opened the window from the room I was in and told him where I saw the hawk land with her and he screamed at it and it took off. Both of us jumped over the fence we share with the park behind us when I saw the hawk land in a tree. My husband was first to get there and we found our baby under the tree. She looked fine except a pin spot of blood on her beak. I carried her home, feeling for any injuries to her body, but found none. We found several of our girls in the space between the shed and the fence, stuck and unable to get out. The one big girl we have was upside down! I guess they tried to hide, poor dears. Anyway, this morning the one that was taken seems slow but only has some scrape marks on her chest, no blood or scabs. All of them are very nervous now (who can blame them!) and they look out the door for quite a while before coming out cautiously. I'm so glad we got our baby back from that hawk! This is the first time that has happened to us and we live in the hills and there are hawks all over.

 

[czgarcia]

Happy New year!!

 

[Scrambled Egg]

Sitting here at computer about an hour ago my dachshund started growling and barking like a wild thing. Over her noise I heard a hawk screeching and when I went out front it flew out of the sweet gum tree in my front yard!!! ...in neighborhood city!!! geez, my chickens have free ranged alittle in my yard while I have been out there with them but that won't happen again if hawks are now brave or hungry enough to sit in a my front yard tree and scream for a chicken dinner!!

 

[jjthink]

Denise, I'm sooooo glad you got your baby back!!!!!! How horrifying to see it carried off and screaming in terror - the world can just be way too cruel.
I am hoping there are no hidden puncture wounds (where the hawk hooked in to grab her) because if there are she will likely need antibiotics at minimum. Hope she will be alright - the shock alone is enough to zap them of much of their healing energy but your TLC and warmth will go a long way.
JJ

 

[judyisfun]

I have bantams and hawks are a MAJOR problem. Do those of you with standards have a major problem or do they tend to leave them alone since they are larger than the hawks


I have both large and banty's and the hawks take them all

 

[jasper]

I have turkeys running loose with my chickens and the hawks dont seem to bother my chickens.my problem is the rats sneaking the babies from under their mother at night

 

[czgarcia]

JJThink, I am pretty sure I checked her over pretty good, and she is back to seemingly normal now, so I think the only marks are the ones I saw. No broken skin, just missing feathers. The beak had a small wound, but it's better now too. They haven't came out of the coop since..poor girls. And they so love to forage for bugs and grass...

Jasper, I wonder if it's because of the turkey's that you babies are not bothered? But then, I do have a full sized chicken that lives with my banties? Who knows..

Funny that this is the first time (that I know of??) that a hawk has tried to take one of my girls. We've been here for 7 years and had chickens for 6 of those years... I'm watching much closer these days. They only get to come out 3 or 4 times a week because our boxer will chase them and it's a huge hassle to keep her in when they are out. So we are always home when they are out.. I wish someone knew of a way to teach the dog to be friends with them. She's been around them since she was 7 weeks old and still thinks they are toys! She's caught one twice, never killing it, but running around the yard with her as if she were a prize. Now if she had shaken her head with the chicken in her mouth...

 

[jjthink]

I am so happy that your little one escaped the jaws of death! She's so so so lucky. What stories she will have to tell her buddies! So happy for you and for her.

JJ