Coopers Hawk Working Barn Area Hard

[sarsar]

We had a hawk earlier this year. Our smallest hen shooed it out of the coop into our contained run. It got stuck there. It was a beautiful predator even though it was unwanted. We locked up our hens and then freed the hawk. We didn't have any further issues with hawks. Maybe it told the rest of the population to stay away.

 

[scooter147]

very interesting, thanks for sharing.

I once had a mixed hen (bantam x standard breed) who was the best broody hen I ever had. She raised countless hatchery chicks for me. NOTHING messed with her chicks, she even told me so a couple times and the exchange was very personal. ;-)

I saw her take on a red tail one day. He swooped in on her brood, she collided with it breast to breast about two feet off the ground. The hawk ate the ground she flogged the thing with death in her eyes. The hawk then took off and for good measure she grabbed two or three tail feathers as a souvenir and chased him a good 20 yards for good measures all the while cussing him to high heaven.

 

[pistolero]

Would have been illegal for me.

For you, sure. But what DA would try to press charges against a hen protecting her chicks?

 

[centrarchid]

For you, sure. But what DA would try to press charges against a hen protecting her chicks?

Charges would be pressed against me. I had a setup that slowed hawk in a location where it was very vulnerable and I was watching. Someone like me watching and not intervening would be negligent.

 

[pistolero]

Charges would be pressed against me. I had a setup that slowed hawk in a location where it was very vulnerable and I was watching. Someone like me watching and not intervening would be neglige

You mean "IF" I had a setup..." ? Or it's happened and charges were pressed? I just can't see it, sure if they could prove you killed one it's against the law. I certainly can't see where if I witnessed someone or something else killing a hawk I'm liable for it's death.

 

[centrarchid]

You mean "IF" I had a setup..." ? Or it's happened and charges were pressed? I just can't see it, sure if they could prove you killed one it's against the law. I certainly can't see where if I witnessed someone or something else killing a hawk I'm liable for it's death. 

For someone like me with experience with poultry and raptors, it would be negligence. I would not be able to put up a defense saying there was nothing I could do. Anyway, my preference is not to kill the raptor. I do not killing mammalian predators either even though I have done it many times. Repelling makes me sleep better.

 

[centrarchid]

While was in the barn releasing all of my young birds a female juvenile Coopers Hawk flew into a Black Willow in fenn to east of barn. Then it flew a little high to the south east and dropped on to a tussock like Harrier or Barn Owl to go after a very small bird that launched thirty feet vertical then to a large tree to safety. Hawk remained on ground for about 5 minutes just out of site. Chickens near appeared aware of the hawk but produced no alarms. The hawk flew up drive past mower and so close to me that I have to fight urge to snag it out of the air. It was not aware it passed me. I was standing to right of carpet.

Hawk landed in skinny tree just passed wall of barn where I could not see it at the time but could see branches wiggle.

I Missouri Dominique cockerel was aware of the hawk the whole time and walked through the brush to get near tree hawk was in. I could see cockerel angling his head to get a better view. Hawk flushed when I stepped out to confirm its location.

View I had when hidden.

Cockerel involved seems to be particularly interested in Coopers Hawks. When male was caught in pen couple weeks back he jumped up from ground repeatedly from ground in effort to get at it.

 

[centrarchid]

.

 

[centrarchid]

It appears the young female Cooper's Hawk is spending a significant period of time in barn each day. It is not eating catches in barn so I presume the barn is providing protection from cold and still using barn as a launching point. Benefit is starlings not coming in. Cardinals and crowned sparrows are the primary visitors now. Weird for me to have those in such close association with buildings.

Hawk also hunting medium sized songbirds early each morning, before I think there is enough light to be successful. Pretty cool chases but she is not psycho like during the day. Chickens say something about her when she flies but they are not overly excited about it. I think hawk is roosting in fence row which is why she comes out so early.

 

[centrarchid]

My hawk battle today. Before heading out to check on things early this morning I let a bunch of young birds out. Assumed Coopers coming in multiple times a day would not be an issue because of all the adult chickens out at well including a stag that really had an interest in hawks. Came home a few hours later to find adult females Cooper's eating the smallest stag in the bunch of young ones let out. Coopers had the uh oh look when it saw me and I could not get my camera fast enough so I gave chase. It was able to fly up maybe waste high holding carcass remains. It went straight along path dog took towards bamboo batch in back ground. It got through patch then found down hill opening and took that to escape. Gut pile was left intact.

Fun part was this old, overweight carcass of mine with busted ribs could not keep up. Man it hurt trying to chase that dang bird. All young chickens penned back up. This not same hawk that comes in most of the time. Means I got at least three hunting me, juvenile male and female, and this adult female.