beckster01
Chirping
- Jul 16, 2020
- 24
- 64
- 94
Well, after 3 years it finally happened… I have a flock of 8 hens, 1 rooster. They are typically in their predator-proof run but, on occasion, I will let them range while I’m home. This morning I heard the rooster alarm and sure enough, I see the rooster facing off the hawk (inside the run). My dogs ran out with me, and my GSD managed to pin the hawk in the corner of the run by the time I got there. Suddenly realizing I don’t know what the laws are about letting a dog kill a hawk, and I don’t know if a hawk will hurt my dog (
), I made sure the rooster had gotten out of the run, closed the coop in case any birds were in there (there weren’t) and brought the dogs back inside.
Once I made sure the hawk flew off, I found the rooster and 5 hens unharmed, although a few feathers lighter. I’m missing 3. I really don’t think the hawk had any measure of success, but am a bit worried those missing 3 are lost, as I searched my entire property and as much of the neighbors that I dared. I can’t get any of them back in their run yet to secure it.
-Biggest question is, should I expect the hawk to come back today? And do you think that the fact that my dog pinned it will deter it in coming back (considering the fact that they don’t range often). Just trying to figure how important it is for me to get them back in their run, or can I let them be chickens and close it up at dusk which is probably when they will go home.
-How good are chickens at finding their way home? Should I bother to keep looking for them? It is very difficult to find scared chickens…
And I am well aware that the only way to predator proof is to keep them in their run. We were planning to cull and refresh the flock next year, “it is what it is.” Kudos to my rooster! I’m very happy we decided to get that free mystery chick from the McMurray catalogue.
), I made sure the rooster had gotten out of the run, closed the coop in case any birds were in there (there weren’t) and brought the dogs back inside.Once I made sure the hawk flew off, I found the rooster and 5 hens unharmed, although a few feathers lighter. I’m missing 3. I really don’t think the hawk had any measure of success, but am a bit worried those missing 3 are lost, as I searched my entire property and as much of the neighbors that I dared. I can’t get any of them back in their run yet to secure it.
-Biggest question is, should I expect the hawk to come back today? And do you think that the fact that my dog pinned it will deter it in coming back (considering the fact that they don’t range often). Just trying to figure how important it is for me to get them back in their run, or can I let them be chickens and close it up at dusk which is probably when they will go home.
-How good are chickens at finding their way home? Should I bother to keep looking for them? It is very difficult to find scared chickens…
And I am well aware that the only way to predator proof is to keep them in their run. We were planning to cull and refresh the flock next year, “it is what it is.” Kudos to my rooster! I’m very happy we decided to get that free mystery chick from the McMurray catalogue.
Only one is unaccounted for, and the other is being unruly and wouldn’t go in with the others 
