Cream Legbars

[ChicKat]

My CL cockerel got hit by a hawk today -- he lost some feathers and I found blood on my hand after picking him up, but I couldn't find where it came from. He seems fine.
Of course I'm thrilled that he's okay, but it's very frustrating. Hawks have struck our birds multiple times in the space of a few weeks. We strung fishing line at 6-inch intervals over the entire chicken yard last week. I have no idea how the hawk got in -- and it was a really big one.
Are non-lethal hawk strikes common? Or have we just been incredibly lucky? The worst one resulted in an injured eye.
Do you have any advice for keeping the hawks away? We're going to add a lot more fishing line this weekend to cut the gap to 3 inches. I don't know if that will work, though.

I'm so glad your cockerel is O.K. -- I think I would have sat down and cried if he was killed. There have been too many chickens and chicks lost to hawks lately IMO.

I got an owl decoy and a Hawk decoy at Tractor supply...I got them to scare away the cliff swallows last spring --- but the cliff swallows just laughed at my decoys after a couple of days. I think your fish line may be the best bet...can't imagine how a big hawk avoided 6" and still struck at your bird....but maybe that did save your cockerel as the Hawk's flight path for the dive in to kill was disrupted -- just guessing here---

You may want to also post the question in the predators thread of the forum...maybe have some more input there??? Glad to hear that there was no damage done.....

 

[normanack]

I'm so glad your cockerel is O.K. -- I think I would have sat down and cried if he was killed.   There have been too many chickens and chicks lost to hawks lately IMO.

I don't handle my chickens much -- even though they're friendly, most of them don't like being touched. But when James the cockerel was hit, I gathered him up in my arms (after a quick exam for damage), laid my head down on his back, and held him for a long time.

 

[babymakes6]

I don't handle my chickens much -- even though they're friendly, most of them don't like being touched. But when James the cockerel was hit, I gathered him up in my arms (after a quick exam for damage), laid my head down on his back, and held him for a long time.

I can understand that feeling of relief!

 

[normanack]

We have hawks out here too. There are a pair of them that like to patrol our yard. That being said, we do let our chickens free range and have minimal losses on our adult chickens. Chicks are another story, we keep the chicks in a fully enclosed run until 16 weeks or so.  They seem to be able to take care of themselves and get under something where thay are safe. You might also try adding a platform or a bush that your chickens can hide under. Ours either run under a shed, in the bushes, or back into the coop when they see a hawk. The chickens do have good visibility and can see hawks coming from quite a distance so they have enough time to react.  There are no places in our yard where a hawk can perch and remain hidden from view. When one chicken sees a hawk she will start making a sound that is similar to the egg song. Everyone runs for cover and the roosters usually stay at the edge of the bushes and wait until the hawk is gone to give the all clear.  Depending on how you are set up if you can give your chickens good visibility to see any approaching danger and a good place to take cover, that should help.

I don't know that any amount of fishing line will keep a determined hawk out. Chickens are tasty!  I know that aviary netting and shade cloth will keep them out. If hawks are a serious threat I would go that route rather than coniunually adding more fishing line.

That all makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

Hidey-spots are now on the construction plan for this weekend. Hopefully that will be the key -- my chickens are plenty wary, but the coop and run are at one end of the yard, and the rest of the space really doesn't have safe places. We could do netting except for during leaf fall. There are a lot of trees around the yard, and one huge oak right in the middle of it. That will depend on the cost of the netting and if it's possible to remove it when necessary. (I hate that cost is a factor, but it is.)

Plentiful loose pet dogs (and to a much lesser extent, foxes) made me decide not to free-range here. I so want to let the chickens do so and think they'd be much happier that way.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Some pics from today! All of these are September hatch, the ones from Poco Pollo have green legbands, the two pullets from Jordan Farm have none.

This one above my daughter has named Hattie, LOOK at that crest!

 

[RyeRanch]

That is a great crest. I have one that looks like that. We call her Pullet with the Mullet. She is a great egg-layer. Hopefully Hattie is too.

 

[ChicKat]

Nice!! Thanks for sharing the photos.......

Love the Cream Legbars!

 

[KPenley]

Loving your babies Rinda! I bet that crest of Hattie's is going to be the perfect size!

 

[blackbirds13]

That's a nice flock. So many boys to choose from. It'll be interesting to see how they turn out they look like they have good potential! Who or what is this Poco Pollo?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

LOL There are only two cockerels, I was just snap happy. I hope one of them turns out. SO I have two cockerels and four pullets total. Two pullets from hatching eggs from Jordan Farm, and two pairs from BYCer Poco Pollo, she lives about 45 minutes from me. I don't think she ships but she really loves the CLs and wants to get into the club once it's going!