Hawk Attack!!! Caught on Camera.

[browning6]

I will admit that I did not believe that a hawk would attack a chicken that was as big as him but my view changed this afternoon. I was inside eating lunch when I heard a loud crash and a lot more comotion coming from the coop. My dog ran outside followed closely by myself to observe a hawk flying away from behind the coop. After a first quick check it looked as though I was missing one bird. I searched the woods right around us for a few minutes than went to double check the head count one more time. After the second court all hens were in the coop accounted for and Pepper(our rooster) was under under the coop raising cane. The hens were packed into the nesting boxes with that look of fear in their eyes. I proceeded to put all of them under the coop with Pepper and lock them in for the rest of the afternoon.

Fortunately I have a camera from our security system focused on the coop so I was able to see the sequence of event. Pepper alerted on the hawk and the hens ran up into the coop. The hawk landed outside the run by the coop and Pepper charged the cage and hit it scaring of the hawk into the tree beside the coop. When my dog ran outside see picked up the hawk and chased it behind the coop where I saw it fly away. It appears that we got away without harm today.

My run has no top on it because it is 30 x 30 but I will be adding some inside posts tomorrow morning and making a maze of fishing line above the run for some protection until the rest can be enclosed. I will try to post the video soon. I had been contemplating getting rid of Pepper because he can be aggressive at times but I have to say he earned a spot in the family today.

Please post the video. I am really interested to see it.

 

[Rebel Soldier]

I raise American games on the river here in Ga. and These Gamecocks will meet a hawk head on! I cannot tell you how many times I have watched a red tail try to pick up a pullet and the cock knock him out of the air!` It is truly a sihjt to behold! I have had two to kill the hawks when they had long spurs. Happy Hunting!

 

[20736]

put a number one coil spring trap on top of the posts, then shotgun the SOB when you catch him.
He will be back. Be prepared.

 

[snowflake]

Love a chicken guard dog. Mine does the same thing, except we trained him to the hawk call, if he hears a hawk he goes nuts, even if he is inside.
I get this image of hens and roosters at a disco. Pretty funny.

what kind of dogs to you have?

This is a thread I started on another post. The video shows you just how agile a hawk is. There is no cover from them. They can traverse a very small opening with relative ease.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/649989/hawks-terrible-and-awe-inspiring#post_9015377

very cool,thank you

put a number one coil spring trap on top of the posts, then shotgun the SOB when you catch him.
He will be back. Be prepared.

it is against the law to shoot birds of prey in most areas, check with DNR first

 

[JerseyHen]

what kind of dogs to you have?

I have a boxer. He is a giant goof ball, but he takes his guard duties very seriously. He lives inside, but he has developed an odd sense about when the birds are in danger and raises the alarm and practically breaks the door down to get outside to protect his girls. He more or less trained himself to the noises. I think he would take cue from our body language and such and now he knows that hawks are a no no around the chickens. He naturally chases anything fuzzy out of the yard (fox, coon, skunk, possum, bear, etc).

 

[JerseyHen]

Did you catch anything on the camera?

 

[centrarchid]

I have a boxer. He is a giant goof ball, but he takes his guard duties very seriously. He lives inside, but he has developed an odd sense about when the birds are in danger and raises the alarm and practically breaks the door down to get outside to protect his girls. He more or less trained himself to the noises. I think he would take cue from our body language and such and now he knows that hawks are a no no around the chickens. He naturally chases anything fuzzy out of the yard (fox, coon, skunk, possum, bear, etc).

If your dog is anything like mine, then it hears chickens even when dog is inside house. My dog can even tell what direction disturbance is relative to house regardless of wind direction so sound must be key. Mine also chases anything strange.

 

[TheHenHen]

I saw the movie.

It was incredible! I never new anything about hawks like that.

 

[Redangler]

I had film of pepper hitting the side of the coop. But with it bieng a new system i did not get it pulled off in time. Didnt have a chance to read the manual to learn how to download video. Sorry.

 

[Stumpy]

This thread has convinced me that I really must be more careful about free-ranging my chickens, or stop it altogether. I live in the woods near an eagle's nest. I have seen an eagle land on a tree on our lot and look towards the chickens. The eagle is wary of our barking dogs and of the presence of people, but it just occurred to me today that the eagle's presence may be the reason I have not seen any hawks near the house. The coyotes stay away because of the dogs, thankfully.

I hope you all don't have any more losses.