Coopers hawks

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Welch’s keets are now almost 6 weeks old. I’ve kept them locked up with Welch much longer than the last set of keets that got out at 2 weeks old without issue. Welch’s keets have just been better off in the coop/run than the previous group so I figured they were safer there. I meant to get them out more and maybe let them out for half of the day, like the rest of the flock, by next weekend.

However, yesterday afternoon while the flock was out, I heard a commotion of alarm calls. I investigated and a Cooper’s hawk flew off the ground from the prairie as I approached. It wasn’t carrying anything and all birds were accounted for, so I’m guessing it was after non-poultry prey. I kept the keets and ducks in after that, though I had intended to let them out for the afternoon.

Now I’m hesitant to let the keets out - they are still so little... So far, my only two bird of prey incidents were a juvenile red-tailed hawk that killed a duck at the edge of the pond two years ago, and a Cooper’s hawk that made a dive at a full grown hen 1.5 years ago but changed its mind at the last minute and left. I’m wondering what the experience of other guinea keepers is with Cooper’s hawks... Thanks!

 

[Sydney65]

Welch’s keets are now almost 6 weeks old. I’ve kept them locked up with Welch much longer than the last set of keets that got out at 2 weeks old without issue. Welch’s keets have just been better off in the coop/run than the previous group so I figured they were safer there. I meant to get them out more and maybe let them out for half of the day, like the rest of the flock, by next weekend.

However, yesterday afternoon while the flock was out, I heard a commotion of alarm calls. I investigated and a Cooper’s hawk flew off the ground from the prairie as I approached. It wasn’t carrying anything and all birds were accounted for, so I’m guessing it was after non-poultry prey. I kept the keets and ducks in after that, though I had intended to let them out for the afternoon.

Now I’m hesitant to let the keets out - they are still so little... So far, my only two bird of prey incidents were a juvenile red-tailed hawk that killed a duck at the edge of the pond two years ago, and a Cooper’s hawk that made a dive at a full grown hen 1.5 years ago but changed its mind at the last minute and left. I’m wondering what the experience of other guinea keepers is with Cooper’s hawks... Thanks!

With the goons, none. Prior to the goons, we had one take up residence in a tree about 10' from the bird feeders. We didn't realize until I saw it 2' from my patio door enjoying it's catch-and it didn't flinch when I opened the door until I hollered at it. The tree it was in was a scrub tree anyway, growing in fence row, so we cut it down and put away the feeders for a few wks until it had moved on.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

With the goons, none. Prior to the goons, we had one take up residence in a tree about 10' from the bird feeders. We didn't realize until I saw it 2' from my patio door enjoying it's catch-and it didn't flinch when I opened the door until I hollered at it. The tree it was in was a scrub tree anyway, growing in fence row, so we cut it down and put away the feeders for a few wks until it had moved on.

Yeah we’ve seen coopers and sharp shinned hawks around our bird feeders. I’m trying not to go into a DH directed rant about our bird feeders... I wish our crows would come back already!

 

[My2butterflies]

We have bald eagles and red tailed hawks here. One hawk in particular has been flying over the house a few times in the past couple weeks. It makes me nervous since I just let my 7wk old chicks out in the run with my older pullets. And my guinea keets have been spending time in the fence outside the coop.
So far I haven’t seen any of them hunting my birds, but I’m not always outside to really watch them. I do come running if the adults sound off the warning call. But I never see anything by the time I get out there.

 

[southwind00]

I hear ya about your concern with Coopers hawks. They are definitely a major problem with keets. What I finally did a couple weeks ago was put some bird netting over the fenced in yard of my little coop 'six' after seeing a coopers hawk sizing up my brooded '4" when they were out in the driveway with there three adults.

The coopers hawk was perched in one of my big apple trees and the 6 week olds were right out in the open. I hear my big male sounding a pretty dire warning and though I wasn't real sure it was anything I went over and there flew the coopers hawk out of the tree. It's funny because he harasses those 4 mercilessly but still sounded the warning for them. My crows don't really bother the coopers hawks like they do the red tails, I think they know the coopers hawks could do some crazy maneuver and turn the tables on them.
I let my 6 orphans out a few hours a day when I'm outside with them and they hang in the edges but seem to be getting braver which is scary but they have to learn whats out there.

 

[Sydney65]

Yeah we’ve seen coopers and sharp shinned hawks around our bird feeders. I’m trying not to go into a DH directed rant about our bird feeders... I wish our crows would come back already!

.....

I hear ya about your concern with Coopers hawks. They are definitely a major problem with keets. What I finally did a couple weeks ago was put some bird netting over the fenced in yard of my little coop 'six' after seeing a coopers hawk sizing up my brooded '4" when they were out in the driveway with there three adults.View attachment 2305113 The coopers hawk was perched in one of my big apple trees and the 6 week olds were right out in the open. I hear my big male sounding a pretty dire warning and though I wasn't real sure it was anything I went over and there flew the coopers hawk out of the tree. It's funny because he harasses those 4 mercilessly but still sounded the warning for them. My crows don't really bother the coopers hawks like they do the red tails, I think they know the coopers hawks could do some crazy maneuver and turn the tables on them.
I let my 6 orphans out a few hours a day when I'm outside with them and they hang in the edges but seem to be getting braver which is scary but they have to learn whats out there.

Similar concept- we hadn't moved them outside permanently yet but wanted them to start acclimating, so we got a canopied dog kennel to be in during the day. It still needed to be shored up at the bottom bc the smallest one could pop in and out of the fencing, but that done, they could play safely. The 2 keets we have now are so much bigger than those 1st ones that it's hard to remind myself they aren't old enough for that yet.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I hear ya about your concern with Coopers hawks. They are definitely a major problem with keets. What I finally did a couple weeks ago was put some bird netting over the fenced in yard of my little coop 'six' after seeing a coopers hawk sizing up my brooded '4" when they were out in the driveway with there three adults.View attachment 2305113 The coopers hawk was perched in one of my big apple trees and the 6 week olds were right out in the open. I hear my big male sounding a pretty dire warning and though I wasn't real sure it was anything I went over and there flew the coopers hawk out of the tree. It's funny because he harasses those 4 mercilessly but still sounded the warning for them. My crows don't really bother the coopers hawks like they do the red tails, I think they know the coopers hawks could do some crazy maneuver and turn the tables on them.
I let my 6 orphans out a few hours a day when I'm outside with them and they hang in the edges but seem to be getting braver which is scary but they have to learn whats out there.

That’s cool! The netting looks similar to our netting over the guinea run, where the keets have been spending their days... Our keets are all about the same age! Are you still keeping yours confined all of the time? I guess I’m wondering if the adults are capable of keeping the 6 week old keets safe (or mostly safe) from the Coopers...

 

[southwind00]

That’s cool! The netting looks similar to our netting over the guinea run, where the keets have been spending their days... Our keets are all about the same age! Are you still keeping yours confined all of the time? I guess I’m wondering if the adults are capable of keeping the 6 week old keets safe (or mostly safe) from the Coopers...

My four brooded keets leave the big coop every day with their three parents usually after 12 pm and go back in late afternoon or early evening. Most of the time they are all hanging out in the thick brush on the edges or in the woods which is hard for the coopers to see them. My other six which I call my 'orphan 6' get let out for a couple hours but usually after their allotted time when I go look for them they are huddled in one of the corners by their coop ready to go back in. They graze for awhile in the lawn but they also head for the thick stuff and feed on some japanese beetles which I am crazy over run with this year. But all the keets don't feed constantly like the adults. The four brooded keets just perch on the low branches while the adults feed.

 

[MrsTush]

We have a couple that live in the woods behind us. I can hear them and I've seen one flying around the field on the side of us. We have a fake owl on the coop roof and there's string lights and wire cross crossing over the yard where the guineas are. I haven't seen the Hawks actually fly over the yard.
I had considered blasting off a few shot gun rounds into the air of they got too interested but they never did.

 

[MrsTush]

My four brooded keets leave the big coop every day with their three parents usually after 12 pm and go back in late afternoon or early evening. Most of the time they are all hanging out in the thick brush on the edges or in the woods which is hard for the coopers to see them. My other six which I call my 'orphan 6' get let out for a couple hours but usually after their allotted time when I go look for them they are huddled in one of the corners by their coop ready to go back in. They graze for awhile in the lawn but they also head for the thick stuff and feed on some japanese beetles which I am crazy over run with this year. But all the keets don't feed constantly like the adults. The four brooded keets just perch on the low branches while the adults feed.

Mine will not eat those beatles! We get a crazy amount of them every summer. I've also noticed crickets are everywhere. Whenever I go into the coop I see at least 10 crickets just hanging out
I think I either have very lazy guineas or they're picky.
My husband says we just have 8 more "pets".