Coopers Hawk gets a shock

[BawkinOnTheBench]

The other day our chickens were out free-ranging - well, as much as they will with several inches of snow on the ground. They mostly stay under the coop and in the small shoveled area around the coop. The bird feeders are also there. Our local covey of wild CA quail was feeding under the bird feeders, when they suddenly exploded into the air in all directions. I was sure this meant 'hawk' - anything else and they would have run for cover. Sure enough, a Coopers hawk lit in the low branches of the tree about 10 feet away from the coop. I'm sure it was the quail he was after. He sat there looking at the chickens in (what looked like) amazement. I'll bet he was thinking "That's the biggest darn quail I've ever seen!"

He didn't make any moves toward the chickens but I sent my daughter out to shoo him off anyway, just in case.

 

[Attack Chicken]

We have a Coopers hawk that visits us often. This morning he accualy got a sparrow for dinner. Like you said he has never made a move on my chickens for now. He was walking on the ground once and my roo went up and did his dance for the hawk LOL.

 

[scooter147]

Others may have a other experiences but I have never lost a chicken to a Cooper hawk and I have plenty of them in the neighborhood. The Cooper's have a buffet in my yard as I feed the wild birds and when they catch a bird the feathers end up at the bottom of my spruce tree where they seem to like to feed on them. Fortunately they seem to take a far greater number of the common sparrow and starling then the song birds I like to attract.
I have lots of glass in the back of my house so I can see my hens from kitchen, dining room and my bedroom so I spend a lot of time watching them. I will see them run for cover (of course, I panic as well, we have the occasional red tail around) then all of they sudden stop and sure enought it's a Cooper's hawk trying to get a little birdie dinner, they seem to be able to recognize the Coopers after a few seconds of analyzing the predator, they do the same thing if a crow makes and appearance out of nowhere.

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Quote:
Oh, wouldn't that be one to get on video? Your roo must be a true male - "That which doesn't eat me ... must think I'm HOT! Hey baby, you're new around here ... come check out this tasty morsel I got for ya!"

 

[speckledhen]

As a side note here, I just wanted to suggest you do not have your bird feeders in the chicken area at all. Wild birds can pass on disease to your chickens and the feeders concentrate them in the area with your birds. I even quit using my feeder most of the time because of that and mine is a long way from my coops.