Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Grandmas Coop]

i dont know

 

[Grandmas Coop]

That is seriously scary

I thought so, when I saw the story on Q13fox news, poor person,, was just walking through a wooded park over Seattles way and BAMMMMM on the head, claws

 

[BY Bob]

I don't dare ask...in the catching up department, I am a few days from hatch day. I'm almost afraid to read further.......

Read away without fear.

It really is not all tragedy here.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Last year my sister became licensed falconer. On December 8th she caught a juvenile red tailed hawk. She and her kids have been training it ever since, mostly it goes after the rabbits that eat the garden, but I guess it helps keep other birds away too. They also have a large flock of chickens.

when I was in the 6th grade, my first ever report was on Red Tail Hawks,, I was fascinated by them, we lived in N.M. and the hawks , if you whistled really loud like they do, they would answer,
I thought it was the best thing in the world, so my 11/12 year old self would walk around thinking I was talking to the hawks, I was so happy about it too,

 

[LaFleche]

A nice dremel and towel is all your need for non-bloody and painless removal.

But of course, a file works fine too.

Just dremeled one of my big roosters yesterday evening and took the time: 4 seconds each spur, no blood, no panic whatsoever.
Important: I fixed his toes with some medical adhesive tape to make sure they would not get in the way.

 

[BY Bob]

Agree, tough to distinguish. I doubt it's two birds, could be stance differences? But maybe two nestmates have arrived hunting together. Studying it more, I am now inclined back to Cooper's, due to the head shape in relation to the body, body shape, and the inconsistent streaking pattern. However I don't see this guy growing 3-4 inches in length to be a Cooper's male. But if it is really more Crow-sized, then that's another thing.

I agree with what you see in the eye placement. The body shape also fits Cooper's, like a barrel. Now the streaking is not always reddish, I see in some descriptions and photos it's brown, and the lighting makes a difference. But the main thing is broad kind of smeary streaks all the way down versus very skinny, very well differentiated ones for Coopers. Here, they look pretty broad like Sharp-Shinned, but - they get skinny towards the belly, like Cooper's, the streaks are fading out.

Another comparison chart from Cornell:
https://feederwatch.org/learn/tricky-bird-ids/coopers-hawk-and-sharp-shinned-hawk/

Does it really matter in the end? It's a killer hunting my ladies. It was interesting to learn about them though.

 

[LaFleche]

Beautiful puppers. Rottis are such sweet hearts.

There is a video of a Bantam Rooster killing a hawk.

I've attached it below for those interested.
BYBob and RC you may not want to watch.

EDIT: Warning! Quite brutal!!

Spoiler: Rooster kills hawk

As far as I can see it is a hen that is killing the hawk, not a rooster. Probably a mother hen protecting her offspring.

 

[BY Bob]

I meant the hawk will go in an open door, not that the chickens will go out. This one will go in a small opening, into a dimly-lit area even, I'm thinking, if it knows chickens are in there. I'm mindful of this when I momentarily leave the Buckeyes in their run to get something - to close both the top and bottom doors of the dutch-style doors, in case a hawk wants to fly in.

I leave no doors open even for a second. Mostly because Phyllis would run out. Also now because of this hawk. I have to think differently all the time now.

 

[BY Bob]

Ice cubes then?

You are bad.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

We are having a horrible wind and rain storm, and internet trouble,,
Good Morning!,
Yes I got up at 3:30, let Tony out,,,, thought Hmmm, it warmed up ,, made coffee, built a fire,
then,,, the roof popped a bit,,, then the Tony dog barked, then,,, I heard what I thought was hard rain on the roof, ,,,
I opened the front door,, and what sounded like a freight train going by was WIND, So I look up the weather and it said, light wind this is NOT light wind,, not light gusts,,,

, so hahaha More Coffee anyone???