A half hour ago, I went outside to throw some stuff in the compost and was raking some leaves into it.... my girls always follow me out and dig in the leaves for a few minutes. I turned my back for a minute and suddenly Nellie let out a loud screech.... the hawk swooped down and tried to grab Lucy. Screaming as loud as I could, I dropped my rake and leaped over the 4 foot fence, waving my hands. Lucy flew out of the way of the hawks tallons and Nellie, being Lucy's protector, flew at the hawk in a attempt to scare him off. Gloria ran for cover between some trash cans and under thick brush... Lucy dashed after Gloria and landed smack dab on her back! Gloria, too scared to be mad at Lucy, huddled down between the trash cans. By now, the crows were already after the hawk, making chaos fill the air. I suddenly realized... where was Nellie?! I looked around and didn't see her anywhere! I peered up into the sky and tried to spot the hawk out of the dozen of crows soaring through the air. I didn't see anything in the hawks grasp, so I ran around the yard and searched for the golden hen. As I opened the gate to my backyard (the wind had blown it partially shut) and quickly scooped up Gloria and Lucy, ran and put them in their covered pen, then searched our backyard for Nellie.
I finally found her, unharmed, under a bush, scared silly and making anxious clucks. Thank God, throughout all this my sweet and blind hen Penny was inside in her box and not in danger. After all 3 were herded into the pen, I checked to make sure they were all okay. Everyone was fine, a little shaky and nervous, still peering up at the sky.
This has never happened before, so it is a shock for me and my birds and a reassurance of how careful we chicken owners have to be. I'm so thankful I didn't loose Lil Lucy today, for she is a bantam and easy prey for a hawk that size.
I finally found her, unharmed, under a bush, scared silly and making anxious clucks. Thank God, throughout all this my sweet and blind hen Penny was inside in her box and not in danger. After all 3 were herded into the pen, I checked to make sure they were all okay. Everyone was fine, a little shaky and nervous, still peering up at the sky.
This has never happened before, so it is a shock for me and my birds and a reassurance of how careful we chicken owners have to be. I'm so thankful I didn't loose Lil Lucy today, for she is a bantam and easy prey for a hawk that size.
