Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

I haven’t had any recent hawk sightings, since that one last month, but I did find a little poof of tiny feathers halfway between our trailer and the burn pile so clearly something took out one of the little junkos recently. I also had an eagle incident yesterday, which I was going to share over on my thread, but seeing as we’re on the subject here...

This is why I love my roosters. Yes they make a racket, but sometimes they actually have cause. They may ignore raccoons at the side of the tractor, but alarm at goats and such. I’m wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but the boys had been alarming for a couple minutes mid day and there were no goats or strangers in sight. I opened up the window and leaned out, and a very ratty looking immature eagle flew over (I think he was in the field past Mr.Marans tractor) I knew Sammy was hiding under my trailer, screaming his little head off, and everyone else is safely contained in their tractors. But rushed out to make sure everyone was safe. All 5 of my free range ladies were holed up under the trailer with Sammy, even little Zeta who still tends to range further from the rest of his Flock.

My boys are very good at herding their ladies under safety for the most part. A few days ago two of my girls teamed up against a raven that was trying to scavenge some of their leftover feed. Drove the poor thing off with a few solid pecks, fluffing and charging it. I’m also perplexed at why (despite having their own full feeder of exactly the same feed) my free range girls would rather eat the leftovers from Bob’s Ladies tractor? I suppose it’s like how the beer I liberated from BIL’s car somehow tasted better than the stuff we have to pay for!

I get an attempted predator strike two or three times a week, mostly Goshawks.
If it's a strike, by the time you here the general panic alarm, which is what I think you are describing you're too late. It still doesn't stop me rushing to find the site but if it was a hit I'm going to find a body or a chicken beyond help. Some look okay, more or less, but the impact from the Goshawk usually damages internal organs and the is nothing you can do about it.

 

[Ribh]

Aurora gets Roosted

I got video last night at roosting time of little miss friendly, Hattie, reminding Aurora that she is below her in the pecking order. This helps to show why the littles are out on the roost extension. Additionally it is giving me pause on lowering the roost as they try and peck poor Aurora from the roost as she walks around looking for a spot to get back up. If the roost is lower they could reach her from above.

Yikes. That's quite vicious ~ & there are only 4 of them. The more I know the more carefully I am considering my next buy because some of those *calm* birds I bought are also massive bullies. lol

 

[Ribh]

I get an attempted predator strike two or three times a week, mostly Goshawks.
If it's a strike, by the time you here the general panic alarm, which is what I think you are describing you're too late. It still doesn't stop me rushing to find the site but if it was a hit I'm going to find a body or a chicken beyond help. Some look okay, more or less, but the impact from the Goshawk usually damages internal organs and the is nothing you can do about it.

Do you get falcons @ all? I've only seen one once here but not much stands a chance from a falcon strike.

 

[Shadrach]

Do you get falcons @ all? I've only seen one once here but not much stands a chance from a falcon strike.

We do get Falcons. There is a Peregrine Falcon in the woods on the ridge about 100 metres from where I'm sitting.
We also have;
Falco Tinnunculus,
Falco Subuteo
plus, not a falcon and not really a hawk, Esparvers (I don't know the proper name for these.)
Here, a successful falcon strike is very rare if the chicken is an adult. The falcons will try for the chicks from time to time. For the majority of mums here a falcon isn't a major threat, they'll stand it down assuming the chicks have got to cover. Falcons are not interested in taking on a battle ready hen. It's a bit easier to understand when you consider a good aggressive mum will take on a Goshawk (wing span 1.2 metres)

 

[Ribh]

We do get Falcons. There is a Peregrine Falcon in the woods on the ridge about 100 metres from where I'm sitting.
We also have;
Falco Tinnunculus,
Falco Subuteo
plus, not a falcon and not really a hawk, Esparvers (I don't know the proper name for these.)
Here, a successful falcon strike is very rare if the chicken is an adult. The falcons will try for the chicks from time to time. For the majority of mums here a falcon isn't a major threat, they'll stand it down assuming the chicks have got to cover. Falcons are not interested in taking on a battle ready hen. It's a bit easier to understand when you consider a good aggressive mum will take on a Goshawk (wing span 1.2 metres)

I would think lifting a good sized hen would be quite difficult ~ but then we get osprey drown from mullet strikes if the fish is too heavy. Apparently they can't unhook their talons so if they can't get airborn again...
I'm never quite sure of similarities & differences in European & Australian raptors. I should do some proper research but time...

 

[Shadrach]

I would think lifting a good sized hen would be quite difficult ~ but then we get osprey drown from mullet strikes if the fish is too heavy. Apparently they can't unhook their talons so if they can't get airborn again...
I'm never quite sure of similarities & differences in European & Australian raptors. I should do some proper research but time...

The Goshawks here eat close to the kill site. I don't think I've ever seen one try to carry a chicken away.

 

[Ribh]

The Goshawks here eat close to the kill site. I don't think I've ever seen one try to carry a chicken away.

Goshawks are rare here. Hawks will fly up into a tree to eat. As will Osprey. So they have to be able to lift their prey.

I've seen osprey literally drag their prey through the water, unable to get properly airborn until free of the water's drag. That's usually been nesting season so I'm assuming they had young they were trying to feed.

 

[BY Bob]

I haven’t had any recent hawk sightings, since that one last month, but I did find a little poof of tiny feathers halfway between our trailer and the burn pile so clearly something took out one of the little junkos recently. I also had an eagle incident yesterday, which I was going to share over on my thread, but seeing as we’re on the subject here...

This is why I love my roosters. Yes they make a racket, but sometimes they actually have cause. They may ignore raccoons at the side of the tractor, but alarm at goats and such. I’m wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but the boys had been alarming for a couple minutes mid day and there were no goats or strangers in sight. I opened up the window and leaned out, and a very ratty looking immature eagle flew over (I think he was in the field past Mr.Marans tractor) I knew Sammy was hiding under my trailer, screaming his little head off, and everyone else is safely contained in their tractors. But rushed out to make sure everyone was safe. All 5 of my free range ladies were holed up under the trailer with Sammy, even little Zeta who still tends to range further from the rest of his Flock.

My boys are very good at herding their ladies under safety for the most part. A few days ago two of my girls teamed up against a raven that was trying to scavenge some of their leftover feed. Drove the poor thing off with a few solid pecks, fluffing and charging it. I’m also perplexed at why (despite having their own full feeder of exactly the same feed) my free range girls would rather eat the leftovers from Bob’s Ladies tractor? I suppose it’s like how the beer I liberated from BIL’s car somehow tasted better than the stuff we have to pay for!

A good rooster is worth his weight in gold. Rooster Cogburn was a great rooster. Jabber was not.

I can't imagine seeing an eagle like that. I think our hawks are huge.

I saw somewhere on BYC that a raven was stealing eggs right from the nest. The hens would lay the eggs, leave the coop, and then the raven would go in, gather up the fresh egg and walk out with it. They had video. It was something.

 

[BY Bob]

The Goshawks here eat close to the kill site. I don't think I've ever seen one try to carry a chicken away.

Our hawks eat chickens at the kill site. They carry off smaller prey.

I believe he was back. When I let the ladies out for about an hour of supervised free range tonight they were long necked checking the sky often.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Aurora gets Roosted

I got video last night at roosting time of little miss friendly, Hattie, reminding Aurora that she is below her in the pecking order. This helps to show why the littles are out on the roost extension. Additionally it is giving me pause on lowering the roost as they try and peck poor Aurora from the roost as she walks around looking for a spot to get back up. If the roost is lower they could reach her from above.

Poor Aurora. I'm glad she was able to get back on the perch and roost in peace.