Hawk Attack today...

[Jillylam]

I'm so glad Snowball is ok. She is so cute! I've had my chickens free-ranging for the last year and never saw a hawk. Then last month I had several attacks. I was also working on the computer when I heard lots of screeching. When I got out there a hawk had one of the RI Reds cornered. She was so brave. She was standing as straight up as she could and just yelling at the hawk. The hawk was swaying back and forth low on the ground. That sucker didn't fly away until I was a few feet away even though I was yelling at it the whole way out there. Then I had a little Ameraucana get grabbed but she got away only with a bunch of feathers yanked. I covered the entire run with green plastic garden fence from Home Depot. It was expensive but so worth the peace of mind. The other thing I did was to put up a 12' high colorful windmill and a hot air balloon garden ornament that spins like crazy. I also put scare crows on the fence posts where the hawk had sat one day and I put a human size scarecrow hanging in a tree so it sways around a little. I'm not sure if it's luck or if these things are working but I haven't seen a hawk since. The girls also are so much more aware of other birds now and they run for cover a lot more.

 

[SunChick]

I wish I could share your good fortune, but we lost one of our favorite white silkies to a hawk yesterday. I came home and found white feathers littering the ground, but no body. All the rest of my silkies were on my porch taking cover. We have hawks occassionally, but that chickies have started free ranging away from the safety of the house and garden to our compost pile, which is across half an acre of open yard! She was one of my favorites. DH is building a new chickie chalet for these little pets of mine so they can hang out at the house and not be hawk bait! DARN Hawk! We moved the pets into an enclosed area until the new coop is done, and they are MAD at me! I told them no more free ranging until I am home from work, the hawks have figured them out to be fly through "take out".

 

[chickflick]

Hawks are so active now!! Been keeping an eye on a few that feed in the field behind our property. Today I came out and there was one hawk hovering above my chicken run. It's not covered.. it has a tree in the middle, but with the leaves falling off, doesn't provide cover any more. I couldn't find a thing to cover it today. I'll have to go shopping. They might have to stay in the coop tomorrow, cuz I'm not going to be home to watch out for the hawk. They will be sooooo mad at me!! But, gotta protect my flock. un