Hawk attack

[Fishsticks06]

I had a hawk attack on a chicken a few weeks ago. Not quite sure what type but I’m assuming it was a red tailed hawk. It attacked one of my hens, and she lived with minor injury only losing a few feathers. The hawk made no piercing or laceration to her body, and my hen is in good health now.

My rooster was able to save my hen and corner and flog the hawk, and if it wasn’t for human intervention, would have probably killed the hawk completely.

My chickens are given free range access, and now my chickens have became recluse during the day time and spend a lot of their day time hiding in the shade, only to come out at dusk.

We still have a lot of hawk activity near my area recently and our crow count has dwindled. Will the hawk(s) attack again, and how do I prevent this?

 

[azygous]

Yes. They will attack again. And what's more, they are probably reconnoitering and your chickens see them, and that's why they are being careful.

Hawks are a predator we are mostly helpless to discourage. You noticed a decrease in crows. Crows do run the hawks out of their air space. If there is any way to encourage the crows and ravens, that's one of the best hawk deterrents there is.

I had a terrible hawk problem years ago. I would catch mice and pack rats and leave them in a prominent open space, and over time, the crows and ravens would make daily visits to see what I had caught overnight for them. Over time, these scavengers have taken up residence, and they are now quick to be alerted when a hawk happens along. Recently, a hawk accosted my two roosters, and a raven noticed and flew to a pine top and just sat there in an intimidating fashion until the hawk grew uneasy and left, never to return.

Try leaving bribes for the crows in the form of meat scraps or dead mice. Don't retrieve them if no crows find them. Leave them there. Eventually a crow will notice and claim the bribe. After that, leave a little something to replace what is taken, and soon you will have a fleet of protectors.

 

[cmom]

I stopped free ranging and I have had a hawk come out of nowhere and kill a bird that was next to me. It happened so fast I didn't have time to react. Another time I had some chicks out in a small temporary pen which I was working next to and again a hawk came out of nowhere and grabbed a chick and flew off with it and again it happened so fast that I didn't have time to react and all I could do was watch it fly off with my chick. Now my birds have nice large covered pens. I have let them out but they don't stay out long and they go back into their pens where they feel safe. The crows do help when they are around and will chase off a hawk but they aren't always around here. I do leave things out for them and they do come around to see what I have left out but then off they go but do come back but I'm sure they have a lot of territory to cover. There was one crow I would see quite often that had a bad leg. We named it Gimpy. One day on my way to an appointment I saw the same crow in a neighborhood that is not far away. It was hopping around in a driveway on it's good leg. I'm pretty sure it was the same crow. Good luck...

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My rooster was attacked on Feb 5th. My first hawk attack ever, in years of keeping chickens and ducks. All of my usual free ranging birds have been locked up ever since and my rooster has recovered and is growing feathers back in. This hawk keeps coming back though! It can't get my birds, but it flies down and stands on the ground next to their runs and just watches as they freak out. This stress isn't good for birds and they have scrapes and cuts all over their faces from running into the hardware cloth/welded wire trying to escape. Most of them aren't even able to think about going into their coop so they just ram themselves into the wire over and over. I believe this is a young hawk but it can't be that dumb, I wouldn't think. It was here today whenever I came back from the market. It was here Monday and one of my bantam hens seriously worried me because it stressed her out so much. My neighbor lost 2 hens months ago to a mature hawk and a juvenile. Her run is uncovered but I don't believe she's lost anymore or had any more visits from the hawks. I took a picture of the hawk the night my rooster was attacked. I was worried about HPAI because it looked a mess. Little did I know that it had been trying to get one of my roosters for a while and had him in a corner trying to finish him off whenever I came outside. My rooster had evaded his attacks and escaped his clenches multiple times so I imagine it was a bit worn out. Of course the hawk doesn't have a leg band, but I suspect it's the same one with the way it acts. I am really frustrated with this harassing hawk. I do have some moles and/or voles but I don't know how to catch them. The hawk was only here after I stopped feeding the crows because of HPAI. I am trying to feed them again but the wild Canada Geese always find the corn I leave for them. Between HPAI, wild waterfowl visitors, and this hawk, I'm going crazy!

 

[MisfitRanch01]

I’m glad I don’t have many hawks around here
My Australian cattle dog likes to chase them while they fly and bark, which I’m guessing is why they steer away from here, though I’m paranoid a hawk with snatch up one of my hens or smaller goats.

 

[Bocktastic Quackles]

Please Help! Hawk Attack

I was able to save her from being pinned down. This looks like the only wound she has. I flushed it out with non-iodized pure salt diluted in filtered water. Then put Ayr Saline Nasal gel with aloe Vera on the open wound. Gave her 0.75 ml CBD to calm her down. She’s walking just fine wings look good.

She will be staying inside in a dog crate with some water and later offer food. She’s a bit rattled. How does this wound look? What sound I keep an eye out for? What is typical for a good healing? When should I take her to a vet?

Thank you!!!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Please Help! Hawk Attack

I was able to save her from being pinned down. This looks like the only wound she has. I flushed it out with non-iodized pure salt diluted in filtered water. Then put Ayr Saline Nasal gel with aloe Vera on the open wound. Gave her 0.75 ml CBD to calm her down. She’s walking just fine wings look good.

She will be staying inside in a dog crate with some water and later offer food. She’s a bit rattled. How does this wound look? What sound I keep an eye out for? What is typical for a good healing? When should I take her to a vet?

Thank you!!!


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Did this just happen? If so, are you treating for shock?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Please Help! Hawk Attack

I was able to save her from being pinned down. This looks like the only wound she has. I flushed it out with non-iodized pure salt diluted in filtered water. Then put Ayr Saline Nasal gel with aloe Vera on the open wound. Gave her 0.75 ml CBD to calm her down. She’s walking just fine wings look good.

She will be staying inside in a dog crate with some water and later offer food. She’s a bit rattled. How does this wound look? What sound I keep an eye out for? What is typical for a good healing? When should I take her to a vet?

Thank you!!!


View attachment 3023005View attachment 3023006

You might want to start a new thread under emergencies. You'll receive more replies there. Have you checked her back really well?

 

[azygous]

Please Help! Hawk Attack

I was able to save her from being pinned down. This looks like the only wound she has. I flushed it out with non-iodized pure salt diluted in filtered water. Then put Ayr Saline Nasal gel with aloe Vera on the open wound. Gave her 0.75 ml CBD to calm her down. She’s walking just fine wings look good.

She will be staying inside in a dog crate with some water and later offer food. She’s a bit rattled. How does this wound look? What sound I keep an eye out for? What is typical for a good healing? When should I take her to a vet?

Thank you!!!


View attachment 3023005View attachment 3023006

Here's what you do in the event of a predator attack to treat the survivor.

1. Treat for shock as the number one step. Give warm Gatoraid or mix a half teaspoon of sugar into a fourth of a cup of warm water with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Have the patient drink it all or syringe it into the beak.

2. Flush the wound well with saline. This is better than soap and water as it maintains the PH of the tissues. But warm soap and water will do. You need to wash away the bacteria from the wound.

3. Inspect the wound carefully. If it has a skin flap dangling, keep that. Do not cut it off. Look for bite, tear or puncture marks indicating a puncture wound. If you see this, the patient will need an oral antibiotic such as amoxicillin. Bacteria from the predator’s mouth can be injected deep into tissue and can kill in as little as 24 to 48 hours. You can order this https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/250mg once a day for ten days. Or you may be able to find this or something similar at TSC or a pet store.

4. Spray with Vetericyn wound treament and let dry. Use a topical antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or a generic without pain killer in it to coat the wound. If there's a skin flap, lay it across the wound that has just been coated with the ointment. Then smooth on a generous amount over the top of the skin flap to hold it in place.

5. It's useless to try to stitch a wound on a chicken. Don't even try. It's also useless to try to bandage a wound other than on the feet. The chicken will not tolerate it. It will be pulled off faster than you can blink an eye.

6. Clean the wound every day following the above steps. Keep the wound covered with the ointment. Never allow the wound to get dried out or it will not heal.

 

[Bocktastic Quackles]

You might want to start a new thread under emergencies. You'll receive more replies there. Have you checked her back really well?

I ended up taking her to the vet just to be safe. I’ll keep that in mind for the future , I was just trying to find a quick thread to get information fast. They are stitching her neck bc muscles are exposed.