Close Call

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Really sad u lost her. First off, want to praise your awesome flock guardian dog. I have dogs that protect my free-range flocks too, & consider my dogs truly priceless. When u described the scenario, my first thought was "hawk." A local redtail hawk makes regular flyovers here, but decides to go elsewhere when it sees the dogs. I am rural and suspect it had a close call with a coyotes, so sees my dogs as serious threats.
When u mentioned she wasnt recovering well, i did suspect internal injuries. Because I Have occasionally lost chickens to the hawk when my dogs are not in plain sight. (I have 3 separate flocks that roam pastures and woods). "My" redtail's modus operandi is to dive from a large tree and hit their neck with full force. A couple of years ago, i rescued a hen in time after hearing rooster alarm calls. But after a month of trying to save her, she never was able to eat or drink properly due to a partially crushed trachea. This past summer, i reached a hen almost immediately after hearing the rooster alarm calls. The hawk flew away, but the hen was already dead. Her neck was broken and she died immediately. Your hen's attacker may of course also have been something else, including a fox. All predator species are very hungry this time of year due to low wild prey numbers. Whatever attacked your hen may have decided an attempt was worth the risk of your dog being nearby. After your dog's response, i would be very surprised if the attacker succeeds again. Very sad for your hen, but very impressed with your dog!

 

[Stephine]

Really sad u lost her. First off, want to praise your awesome flock guardian dog. I have dogs that protect my free-range flocks too, & consider my dogs truly priceless. When u described the scenario, my first thought was "hawk." A local redtail hawk makes regular flyovers here, but decides to go elsewhere when it sees the dogs. I am rural and suspect it had a close call with a coyotes, so sees my dogs as serious threats.
When u mentioned she wasnt recovering well, i did suspect internal injuries. Because I Have occasionally lost chickens to the hawk when my dogs are not in plain sight. (I have 3 separate flocks that roam pastures and woods). "My" redtail's modus operandi is to dive from a large tree and hit their neck with full force. A couple of years ago, i rescued a hen in time after hearing rooster alarm calls. But after a month of trying to save her, she never was able to eat or drink properly due to a partially crushed trachea. This past summer, i reached a hen almost immediately after hearing the rooster alarm calls. The hawk flew away, but the hen was already dead. Her neck was broken and she died immediately. Your hen's attacker may of course also have been something else, including a fox. All predator species are very hungry this time of year due to low wild prey numbers. Whatever attacked your hen may have decided an attempt was worth the risk of your dog being nearby. After your dog's response, i would be very surprised if the attacker succeeds again. Very sad for your hen, but very impressed with your dog!

Thank you! Yes a crushed trachea makes sense - she was breathing a bit heavy and absolutely refused to drink anything, even a drop, nevermind eating. Our dog is really great - he is such a help. He is an English Shepherd. Ours is very serious, very sweet and he takes great pride in doing his job. He is fast as lightning.
I am now mainly suspecting hawk as well. The night after the attack our dog ran and patrolled the creek fenceline looking up into the trees; we have wild turkey roosting (which are not allowed on the property) there so I didn’t read too much into it. Early this morning the dog asked to go out urgently, going so far as scratching the door, which he NEVER does and is absolutely not allowed to. After repremanding him for the scratching (when he remembered his manners and sat to say please) I let him out and he darted across the field to the fenceline where he scared up a ——— Hawk! He has never done that before, ever. We have hawks all day long, red tails in the field, sharp shinned and cooper‘s in the meadow by the creek. He always drives off turkeys and vultures, the occasional peacock and all four legged critters, but has been ignoring hawks. Well no more. I hope they get the message!
Chickens are still confined to their Fort Knox coop and run. It’s been raining, so that is good timing. I will be nervous to let them roam again once the rain stops... I think I might have a few saddles with big eyes in them lying around somewhere - I‘ll see if I can find them and wrestle a few hens into them. They are supposed to scare of hawks...

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your hen was likely in shock too, but the lack of recovery suggested internal injuries. Neither of the hens i mentioned showed any obvious fatal external injuries. I love hearing about your dog & his intelligence and protective behavior. Dogs never cease to amaze me. They can be a chickens worst enemy, but also a chicken's best friend and protector. Your dog has his role down pat! And English Shepherds are rare, tu for mentioning his breed.

 

[Folly's place]

Here our worst single day loses have been to a fox, once (sick mangy guy, ten hens) and two years ago, to one of our own dogs, when our fencing failed. That time several birds were alive but had bite wounds, and the one injured survived, while the four hens died, all in spite of care. i think that egg laying hens have more chances for fatal internal injuries, with infection after broken eggs especially.
Your dog is fantastic!
We used to have dogs who helped guard the birds, but now have two who aren't bird safe at all.
Your current hawk will give up after a couple of weeks, very likely, so keep your birds in at least that long. And one dog can't be everywhere at once!
Mary

 

[cmom]

My bigest loss was from a hawk that got into a pen through a gap in the netting that covers the pens. The next largerst lost was from a fox then a coyote.