Coopers hawk attacked my Golden Comets

[GC-Raptor]

Just before noon today. I heard my girls making a racket and looked out and saw them hiding on one side of the coop. By the time I got out there, feathers were every where and I only saw 4 of my 5 girls. I saw the cooper's hawk in a tree and it flew off. I followed the feather trail but didn't find my girl. She had escaped and I found her in the coop. She was missing some feathers but seems to be OK. She seemed to be OK when I closed the coop for the night. I couldn't believe the hawk would attack a chicken twice its size. I will be covering the pen with fishing line tomorrow.

My poor girl.

GC

 

[Pork Pie]

Sorry to hear that. Good idea with the fishing line. Some peeps would suggest confining them to the coop for a week or so, as once a hawk knows there is food around, they tend to return. Either way, I'm sure that they will be very jumpy for a few days.

 

[Flock Master64]

I'm glad she's ok, I've a had a few close calls but not like that

 

[GC-Raptor]

Thank you so much.

 

[centrarchid]

Coopers Hawks will attack hens larger than they are when hens do not stand their ground and fight back. In a free-range setting the usual methods involving CD's and fishing line will not be effective. I have Coopers Hawks coming in daily and targeting penned chicks. Out side pens I have several hens / pullets and few cockerels / cocks. The Coopers does not target hens as they hold their ground. I invested a little effort to keep roosters around pen with chicks the hawk targets resulting in hawk being driven off. Hawk still comes in after songbirds multiple times each day although adult chickens let it know it is not welcome near them.

See thread below on current efforts with juvenile female Coopers Hawk.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1139715/coopers-hawk-working-barn-area-hard


Coopers Hawks are the one predator I easily repel with fully adult standard sized roosters. If I can protect juvenile chickens, then you would be able to protect larger laying hens.

Assumption hawk ID is correct. When Red-tailed or Ferruginous hawks come in then other mechanisms such as cover come into play. Dogs and even poultry netting close to cover help as well.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Well it's two days sense the attack and my girl and her sisters have remarkably recovered quickly. She is tattered and took a day off, but today I got 5 eggs. Amazing.

GC

 

[Trish1974]

Sorry to hear that about your girl, but glad she is recovering! I have never seen a successful Cooper's Hawk attack on a full grown chicken. It is almost like they realize the size difference as soon as they are ready to strike then immediately pull up and fly off.