Hawk attack.

[theoldchick]

Now that is worrisome for sure! Glad everyone is okay. I noticed hawks galore today at my place. Is it mating season or what? I had a Cooper's Hawk glide over yesterday morning. She wasn't in a rush, just a nonchalant fly over. She cocked her head to make eye contact with me, and landed in a tree nearby.

Cooper's hawks are especially troublesome in that they have this knack of taking advantage any weak spot in your chicken facility. They aren't afraid to raid the hen house, and I've had them fly in my garage to get their target. I've seen them dive into Leyland Cypress to snatch their prey. Agile and swift, Cooper's Hawk will definitely take advantage of feeding stations humans put out for songbirds.

Anyway, glad your gals are okay!

 

[86121]

Oh good lord, I can feel the panic threw your story!!!

 

[AnimalsComeFirst]

OMG, I would have FREAKED. That's one of my worst fears.

Especially, this time of the year. My garden is mostly roses and other shrubs which are all pruned back low right now so they have no place to hide. So no free ranging unless I'm out there. But as your story shows. You can be out there but a bold hawk may still try to take one.

I'm so glad your girls are all okay. Extra treats and love for them today.

I DID freak! It would of been funny on tape of me scaling a 4 foot fence, running around the yard and crawling on my hands and knees to grab Nellie from under a bush! I never thought he would attempt to do it either, especially with me moving, making noise and holding a rake. Now that i think about it, I shoulda kept the rake in hand and thrown it at him.... then again, I don't have a good throw so I would of probably hit a chicken!

YIKES! Nothing like getting the blood pumping - if you don't have a heart attack in the process! Guess that hawk has gotten pretty comfortable with people around.

JustTami - the owl "scarecrow" trick worked? I was wondering if putting one up would work for hawks or other owls, since they are usually solitary hunters unless they are hunting with a mate.

I almost did, I swear! I was turning around and round in circles, wondering where Nellie was at a point and thinking alot of panicky thoughts like, "What if the hawk took her? What if she flew across the road? What if...."

Now that is worrisome for sure! Glad everyone is okay. I noticed hawks galore today at my place. Is it mating season or what? I had a Cooper's Hawk glide over yesterday morning. She wasn't in a rush, just a nonchalant fly over. She cocked her head to make eye contact with me, and landed in a tree nearby.

Cooper's hawks are especially troublesome in that they have this knack of taking advantage any weak spot in your chicken facility. They aren't afraid to raid the hen house, and I've had them fly in my garage to get their target. I've seen them dive into Leyland Cypress to snatch their prey. Agile and swift, Cooper's Hawk will definitely take advantage of feeding stations humans put out for songbirds.

Anyway, glad your gals are okay!

This one was a red tailed and not that big... but had a huge wingspan!

Oh good lord, I can feel the panic threw your story!!!

You wouldn't believe the panic in the air when this was all happening... and mind you, throughout all this I was by myself!

 

[stormylady]

So glad everyone was ok, we have a gazillion Hawks around here and they seem to be gettiing closer all the time, a couple of weeks ago I spied one sitting in the neighbors tree watching them That was scary enough I can only imagine what you were going through!!!

 

[AHDCST]

Wow that must have been scary! We have a field behind our land and the hawks have always been around. I had one swoop down and pick a dove up that was less then a foot from me in the yard! I think they are getting desperate for an easy meal and they must have little ones to feed or something. I had a copper's hawk actually sitting on top of my hen house a month ago! I know they are federally protected but hey use the S.S.S. method! S-shoot, S-shovel and S-silence! I will protect my flock at all cost!

 

[Mykee]

That is my worst fear. I think aerial predators are the worst! I'm so glad everyone is okay. One time, a hawk went after my flock and a feisty little hen chased it away. Last fall, a tiny hawk nearly suffocated my rooster by sitting on top of him, and then when we kicked the hawk off, he went for my hen. Fortunately, they were both okay, but they both got killed by raccoons this fall.

 

[CarolJ]

You can't be too careful if there are hawks in the area. One killed my best cockerel back in December.