FOGHORN LEGHORN~ "Lookit here son, I say, I say son, did ya see that hawk after those hens? ....

[aart]

and deer ticks are tiny, tiny....hard to see them with the naked eye (mine as least)....usually what people get are dog ticks which are about 1/8" across.

 

[off-grid hen]

Deer ticks are also tiny in the larva or nymph stage, but are larger in the adult stage. The adult deer ticks are easier to see. All larval ticks are teeny tiny. I never see dog ticks where I live, we have oodles of deer ticks. Here is a photo from a helpful link. Read the link for more info.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/westnile/tickscommon.htm

 

[ocap]

I met a guy that saw a cougar at High Point New Jersey not far from Hawk Mountain, PA

I had a Cooper Hawk fly into my run through the open door even with a roof of wire.

 

[off-grid hen]

With all the raptors we have- Bald Eagles, Red-Tailed Hawks, Northern Gosshawks, Barred Owls, and Great Horned owls, I have only lost one chicken to a bird of prey. We found a rooster a year ago with only his head missing, which when I researched pointed to Great Horned Owl, but I can't be positive. I have had coyotes steal two birds. We have a lot of crows and vultures, I don't know if that deters them at all.

 

[aart]

Deer ticks are also tiny in the larva or nymph stage, but are larger in the adult stage. The adult deer ticks are easier to see. All larval ticks are teeny tiny. I never see dog ticks where I live, we have oodles of deer ticks. Here is a photo from a helpful link. Read the link for more info.


http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/westnile/tickscommon.htm

That's a bit different from the examples I've seen...which were not easy to find or very clear. We have tons of dog ticks around here and they are prolific this year!

 

[off-grid hen]

I hate ticks. When I found over 30 of them crawling on the dog after his "chase a squirrel through the woods" adventure, I did a lot of research. *shudder*

 

[CaCO3]

I have found a couple crawling on me. Last summer I did get bit by female deer tick and only reason I found it was it was on my hip and my waistband was rubbing on it. You'd easily think it was some crazy freckle or mole. I always worry about them falling on my head and crawling into my hair and biting my head.

 

[Shellz]

With all the raptors we have- Bald Eagles, Red-Tailed Hawks, Northern Gosshawks, Barred Owls, and Great Horned owls, I have only lost one chicken to a bird of prey. We found a rooster a year ago with only his head missing, which when I researched pointed to Great Horned Owl, but I can't be positive. I have had coyotes steal two birds. We have a lot of crows and vultures, I don't know if that deters them at all.

I would have to say yes to crows & vultures keeping raptors away. Had only one failed attack on a hen by a juvenile Cooper's hawk last summer. There are even more crows here this year. Yay!

 

[troy1]

vultures have little to no effect on keeping raptors away from your chickens.

Federal law makes provisions for killing protected raptors that are killing livestock. There is no shortage of raptors after years and years of protection from hunting and chemicals.

 

[Shellz]

I'll concede on the vultures, but I've seen crows mob up on a hawk over my woods. Hawks are having a hard time hunting around my place.