Corn Husks and Turkey Vultures

[Fancypants1]

Couple questions: Can chickens eat the husks and stringy things on corn on the cob? Second, now that the weather is nice I have been letting the girls out in the yard. I have noticed some turkey vultures flying around. Should I be worried that they will attack my girls?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The vultures are looking for carrion. That said, if they find none, there is a remote chance they may attack but I wouldn't worry. There are many more serious predators afoot. Hawks being a more serious threat of the aerial variety.

Chickens don't have hands, teeth or a strong bite so they probably won't eat the husks or silk.

 

[CrazyTalk]

I've seen turkey vultures make a couple attempts on my chickens, but they're just not graceful enough to even come close.

I could see one maybe grabbing a chick that had been separated from it's mom, or gotten out of a tractor, but they're really not hunters.

 

[Fancypants1]

Thank you for the info. We eat a lot of corn so I just thought I would ask. They love to eat the corn right off the cob raw. We have hawks around but didn't think they would be big enough to grab an adult chicken.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They'll still kill the bird and eat it on the ground if they can't carry it to a tree.

Acipiters (bird hawks) are usually smaller and in this group that will eat in place.

Buteos or buzzard hawks are much bigger, primarily eating rodents but will gladly eat a chicken when hungry and most species are big enough to carry off a full grown chicken.

 

[rides2far]

Turkey vultures are carrion eaters, but black vultures will kill their prey & also will feed on carrion.