HAWK ATTACK

[stephcraig78]

I have and and have always had turkeys with my chickens. Two hen turkey and one Tom. The Tom was standing not 3 feet from the hawk as it sat on ground eating our silkie. Guess some may be more aggressive and chase a hawk. Mine stood there watching.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Chicken killing is a specialized field for your average hawk. It is not their natural prey and most don't ever indulge in it, but when you find one that does, that is a problem. I have dealt with some that were scarily efficient at killing my birds.....

I beg to differ, if the Red Tailed, Coopers, Sharp Shinned a.k.a. Blue Darter Hawks do not look upon chickens as their normal vittals, then why are the three above named hawks known collectively as "CHICKEN HAWKS"?

 

[happyfrenchman]

I beg to differ, if the Red Tailed, Coopers, Sharp Shinned a.k.a. Blue Darter Hawks do not look upon chickens as their normal vittals, then why are the three above named hawks known collectively as "CHICKEN HAWKS"?

People think everything is about them... they have chickens, a hawk kills the chicken... it is a chicken hawk.....That sounds better than blue jay hawk, or squirrel hawk. Hawks are everywhere..... if they were that comfortable eating chickens, there would be alot more attacks than we have.... these hawks that go for chickens are not showing normal hawk behavior. But once they go bad, you have to clip them. People say another one will take it's place.... Not likely.

 

[llombardo]

A coppers hawk got into the coop and continued to go into the sleeping area to rake out his chickens. The thing just flew around attacking the chickens. Red tail Hawks kill birds of all kinds all the time.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

View attachment 1254915 Well I just had my first lose due to a red tailed hawk. I’ve seen one hanging around over the past couple weeks. Also a huge owl stalking around. I look out my window and see an enormous hawk on the ground near my smaller pen. I ran out and it flew off. On the ground where it had been were a million feathers and the headless body of my momma silkie hen. She just got done hatching 6 beautiful silkie sizzle chicks. She was the sweetest, gentlest, loving little girl. I hate that it’s illegal to protect our birds from predators like this. If anyone has any suggestions on how to keep hawks away please please let me know. I am keeping all my birds locked up till I can be sure it’s moved on.

I'm so sorry for your loss, I too just lost my little Lizzy, SDW OEGB, today, I went to check eggs and startled the hawk and it dropped Lizzy! So..sad! I sympathize with your loss.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Do you mean a scare owl like this one?
View attachment 1256618

Well...there goes the owl for protection idea!

 

[PattyNH]

I took these photos just before Christmas. I had a possum catch cage in our yard about 10 metres away from the dining ranch slider.

Those are some amazing pictures!!

 

[Bettyboop7499]

Thanks we absolutely love silkies and she was such a gentle little thing. An amazing mom who in below zero temps sat vigilantly on 17 eggs to start in our garage. Ended up with only six live chicks but she did an incredible job caring for them. As far as a screen on top of run I don’t know how we could manage it. Our birds free range our very large large and have always loved roaming our property. We don’t have wooded area on our land but there is a good chunk of woods right behind our neighbors place so I know that’s where all the predators are coming from. What shocked me was our very protective tom turkey was standing a few feet away as the hawk sat feasting on the ground. Totally not like him to not jump on anything near the girls. Gonna research a little more and hopefully figure out an in between of keeping them penned and letting them roam freely. Thank you all for any suggestions and your sympathy.

I'm so grateful that you have her chicks to raise. I had just found my Lizzys eggs, had I known I'd lose her within days, I wouldn't have put them in the fridge. I would have had an opportunity to hatch her babies. I'm so sad!

 

[Bettyboop7499]

This has been a rough winter as far as hawks are concerned around here. I've lost 5. I've tried keeping the birds in, heck, they have even kept themselves in, for a couple of weeks, or more, at a time. But, when they try to go out, the hawks show up, and get another one. My birds are tuned in to hawks, but it hasn't done them much good, this year. The hawks have pursued them under their coop, and into the bushes to kill them. Such a waste.

Yeah..My birds have a rough go I've lost 7 to one predator or another! Something was getting them in the tress so I moved their coop out in the pasture to get them out of the trees and I've lost two since the move...I don't know what to do. The pasture has plenty of trees for cover and shade, we have a couple of made made structures that give them cover. We want to free range we truly believe it's healthier for us and our chicks..we have three pigs with them in the pasture thought that would scare off the prdators maybe we need a bigger pasture animal??? Any suggestions?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I wish to point out that this large red tail hawk was unable to tote off a silkie hen.