Hawk almost got my babies.

[picklestheduck]

Well. I’ve had the scare of a lifetime. I’ll start from the beginning. This morning I went out to do chores and saw a hawk in a tree above the run. I was quick to tell, whistle, and shoe it off. I was quite worried. Well I finished filling water and food and letting the flock out, and putting the goats in next to the chickens in their pens. And I proceeded about my day cleaning up the barn feeding horses etc. well I had just gotten inside, and I was cold and tired and ready for a late lunch. Suddenly my brother pointed out a dark shape in the tree above the run, I quickly went to grab shoes, but I heard the family start getting frantically loud, so I just slammed the door open and started running. There’s a fairly large field that’s covered in snow that was in between me and that hawk, that to my horror dove into the run. I heard a very very extremely loud scream, so loud that I was shocked to find out it was me. I ran almost blindly, not feeling anything, my only goal was to save my babies. My birds are my pets. After I was shocked to find I was barefoot, and had only thin clothes on. But Praise the Lord I got the hawk away before he got my precious birds. I think it went for the young ones who are in a fully enclosed crate like pen, but it couldn’t get in, and I think it heard me shrieking from across the field. I dont know that I’ve ever ran faster in my life. The flock was very smart and had all filed into the coop and hunkered down, whether from me screaming or if they saw the hawk, I don’t know. I’ve ordered netting for over the run, and my birds are locked in their coop for now unfortunately. Thankfully though my coop is roomy and has good ventilation. I’ve got the netting coming the fasted it can get here since no store near me has anything. I’m shaking still and my feet are numb but I don’t care. My flock is alright.

 

[SmiYa0126]

You are awesome!!!!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Yikes! What a story!
I’m glad everything turned out all right.

 

[Folly's place]

Good for you! Your birds were very lucky for sure.
Plan on keeping them in their safe coop and the run when it's safe, for at least two weeks, maybe longer. That hawk will give up sometime and move on. Any time one is watching, keep them in for at least that time.
Once we had to keep our birds in for three weeks, a very persistant Cooper's hawk.
Mary

 

[picklestheduck]

Good for you! Your birds were very lucky for sure.
Plan on keeping them in their safe coop and the run when it's safe, for at least two weeks, maybe longer. That hawk will give up sometime and move on. Any time one is watching, keep them in for at least that time.
Once we had to keep our birds in for three weeks, a very persistant Cooper's hawk.
Mary

Ok great thanks! Unfortunately none of my run is covered yet . The netting is coming in two days and I will put it up immediately. I do however have a trampoline that has the underside fenced off. I got it from a friend recently who used it as a chicken tractor. It’s pretty small compared to their usual run, but for two days I think it’s better than being locked in the coop right?

 

[Folly's place]

I'd keep mine in and not risk a partial cover, if your coop is fine for them, it's only a couple of days.
There will be many times when your birds will be locked in for weeks or longer; plan to have enough space for them during those times.
Mary

 

[picklestheduck]

Yup. He was back today. Dove into the run to scope it out. All my birds are locked up and safe. I had hoped having bigger animals like horses and goats next to them it will help but I guess not.

 

[Folly's place]

My horses mostly look on predators after our chickens as entertainment, nothing to fret about.
Mary

 

[picklestheduck]

The netting should be getting here today, and thank the Lord. I’d had the coop all ready for winter and I put some deep shavings in there to last through the winter, but now with food and water in there it’s become a mess of a place. There are 12 ducks in there that are trashing the place. I also have 18 chickens in there, but thankfully they are able to fly up to the roosting bars or some chill on top of the small mini coop I’m using for integrating a few young birds. I’ll have to completely gut the coop and put more shavings down. I do have a quick question about the netting though. I was originally thinking of securing it with zip ties, but should I use something else?

 

[picklestheduck]

Well. The netting came and it might as well be a string of floss tied together in a few knots. I’m sending it back because this couldn’t even keep a sparrow out much less a hawk or eagle which are frequent here. ugh. We ordered another kind that is around $70 and looked like a nicer material so we are hoping this works.