Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Anonymous Chicken]

HAWK!!!!!!

I promise to read everyone's posts but I just thwarted a hawk attack!

I was sitting in the yard, reading and hanging with the ladies. When to my back on the other side of the pool some dogs took off and scattered. The girls gave a pseudo alarm, pause for a moment and then went back to grooming and scratching.

After a new moments I noticed that it was completely silent. The song birds were gone. The squirrels were gone. Just too quite. I was uneasy. (In fact, as I type this, it has happened again. It is quiet right now. No animal sounds.)

Well that made me look up from the book. As I did I caught a glimpse of something in the peripheral vision of my right eye, above me. Lord bless me, I don't know why but my reaction was to stand up. I think my movement caused the hawk to alter course and get tangled in the trumpet vine above Sydney. It screeched as it got caught and then I moved towards it. Before I could get two steps, it was untangled and gone.

This is the view from where I was sitting.
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Lets step back and look at the geometry of everything.
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This whole party of the year has excellent aerial coverage. The magnolia tree and trumpet vine meet so there is no path through (purple arrow). There is a small gap of no more than 2 feet between the clothes line and the trumpet vine. I think the hawk was shooting for that gap.

I don't think that Sydney was the target as she was actually right up against the fence. I think the target was Sansa!

Usually after a thwarted attempt the hawk returns. So I armed myself.
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In this instance, unless it happens now, there has been no return visit. Everyone is quite fine grazing in the yard as my pulse slowly comes back to normal. That was definitely a close one.

That trumpet vine was the location of a lot of playing song birds today. I am guessing that may have first attacked the hawk.

I'm so glad you were out with your hens! We once had a Sharp Shinned Hawk *try to* attack our hens, but it missed every time. (Not sure why, but we were very lucky!) We kept the chickens in the coop a looong time after that! (It's gone now.) Love your weapon That's a good idea for anyone with hawk problems!

 

[Anonymous Chicken]

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[BY Bob]

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[BY Bob]

One of These Eggs is not Like the Others

Which egg is Sansa's and which is from the organic free range farm?

 

[featherhead007]

One of These Eggs is not Like the Others

Which egg is Sansa's and which is from the organic free range farm?
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No need to even ask that question! (I prefer my hens eggs too)!

 

[featherhead007]

I just took a walk around the property, and looked at the neighbors cows. (Thanks a bunch peeps), I caught myself checking for weapons!

 

[featherhead007]

I just took a walk around the property, and looked at the neighbors cows. (Thanks a bunch peeps), I caught myself checking for weapons!

none found, no helicopters either. (Sorry, I didn't have my coffee yet)

 

[Shadrach]

The paint gun certainly saw off the fox and gave him a blue tail which like to think made him the laughing stick of all vixens in the area.
the problem is remembering to have it with you. They creep up at unexpected moments.

That is a problem. Even if I had a pistol in a belt like the cowboys, I doubt I would be quick enough to get a shot in.
Sometimes I see them coming but more often I see then leaving and the damage is done.

 

[Shadrach]

Is this the same book? If so, I found it on The Book Depository website.

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Right title and auther so I guess it must be. I think they did a few covers.

 

[Shadrach]

It’s paperback though, not hardback.

I prefer a hardback for reference style books which is what this book has turned out to be.