Hawk attack this morning

[AZ_HenHouse]

I let my birds free range daily. They have access to their coop and mostly covered run. There are also some good size palo verde trees that they use for shade and today for protection. This morning I let the birds out as normal about 5:30 and then took my daughter to tennis. While I was gone, 3 Harris hawks tried to have chicken for breakfast. So my son put them up and locked the coop.
We got home and son was in shower so daughter goes out to playwith chickens and lets them out not knowing about hawks. When son comes out he starts to tell us about the hawks earlier when one swoops down and tries to get a chicken

. It was our momma hen (banty) and she turned around and gave the hawk a good scare and it flew up and landed on the telephone wires and proceeded to watch things for a while. Well we got the girls put up and I have never heard so much screaming and carrying on from them (once they were in the coop and safe).

Question: we have a couple of young roos (3 1/2 months) that were not the bravest of the group. When do they sound alarms or help protect? Banty momma hen was also his momma but she was more willing to fight and another hen is who sounded alarm. They were happy to be in the middle of the flock, definitly not guarding it

 

[groundpecker]

I have a rooster that will beat the hens to the pen, when they spot a hawk. Coward rooster...

 

[AZ_HenHouse]

That's what I am afraid of

We can't have roos in the city

and I don't need a roo for chicks (too many already) but there are 2 from the last clutch that are roos and they are very nice and do not crow so I thought I might keep them around if they would help protect my girls

well if today shows anything I think they will find new homes

 

[Nambroth]

My rooster didn't start giving warning calls or actively trying to kick predator butt until he was about 5 or 6 months old. They have to grow into it, sometimes!

 

[TXchickmum]

I have one cockerel, Babsie, that is 15/16 weeks old. He sounds the alarm if anything flies over. We have a dove nesting in our pine tree. Every time the mother flies down to feed her two babies, poor Babsie shrieks loudly. All of my pullets dart for cover. Subsequently, my other cockerel (of the same age) is happy to run for cover with the gals. He is definitely not the dominant one. No protection there...