I am owner of a flock and an adopted flock, for over a year now. I have successfully added a couple brand new birds when one of my birds went broody, but only 2 survived of the 6 we purchased new! We have a lot of hawks around us, but at least 2 made it, and they are laying too! Aside from attacks, we are making it successfully with our hens. Even having cats, dogs and kids too! I have enough birds to give extra eggs to my neighbors too. I like that the most, sharing. I am a Purdue Master Gardener, mother of 2 kids, and 13 hens.
We're glad you joined us! I'm sorry about the hawk attacks. I'm glad you're enjoying your chickens, though!
Welcome! Congratulations on the master gardening title. I have friends with similar titles and they are a wealth of knowledge on plants and gardening. I hear you on the hawks. Our daytime predators here seem to be foxes and hawks. Although I hate both, I hate the foxes more. We haven't lost any chickens to hawks in the past two years (since I've been building this flock), but we have had several attacks. What has helped: Lots of plant covers, decks, etc the chickens can use for safety. On nice days when the chickens are out of their covered runs usually people or dogs are out with them. Having roosters with them. I think (some) hawks are cowardly. They seem to go for the smallest chickens (careful if you have juveniles) which is why I have dual purpose birds. I've watched hawks sit in a tree or on a pole watching my flock but doing nothing while several big (Jersey giant X's) roosters were with them. Some of our neighbors free range their chickens in pastures with other animals (horses, cows, sheep or goats and the hawks don't seem to come down either.
Welcome back to BYC. Glad you decided to our flock. I'm sorry about your losses to hawks. It's always sad to lose some of our flock. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
Sounds like you need a good hawk repellant - maybe a Livestock guardian dog or two. Glad you joined the flock.
I have some 6 red brahms, two silver laced wyondottes, two golden commets, and now 2 new ameracus hens that started laying in December(their eggs are blue). The other ladies are just about 1 1/2 years young. Its mostly the adopted flock that gets attacked. My ladies are smart, they have been cared for by my hand since they were hatched, and that seems to make a big difference in their intelligence. I really like eggs and i live to be sustainable as I can be; we garden, so chickens seem to be the best decision to add to our crew! We adopt cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens We have a lil of each and we all live together well. Our cats actually help me herd the chickens when I let them out into the front yard while we are out playing. I like the chickens the best, they work the soil, they add nutrients as they peck the bugs out, and they lay eggs! I mean gosh, we can't ask for better composters then the chickens! What my bunnies don't eat, my chickens will. Its great too that they eat all the bad bugs from the soil too; keeps flea populations down a ton.