OK, so I have lost my first chicken to a predator. 8(...or I think I have.
After making a bullet (and racoon)-proof coop with red, blinking, warning lights; I lost my smallest chicken to a hawk. At least I am pretty sure she was grabbed by a hawk. She is completely AWOL and there were no feathers scattered about. My dog swears she is innocent, the cats do not look particularly satisfied, and the snake has not left her cage this week.
Little White (the chicken) disappeared two days ago while my flock of 6 was free-ranging in our fenced backyard. She was a small Ameracauna, about 12 weeks old, and the runt of the crew (3 Ameracaunas, a RIR and two Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks). Maybe about 2 lbs? She also was the one who tended to stray from the flock. I cannot tell you how many times I had to round her silly butt up, pull her out from under the shed, or show her where the rest of the flock was hanging. Sigh.
When I discovered her missing, (the second time that day) the rest of the flock had retreated into a single nesting box (5 chickens), inside the henhouse in the middle of the day and were doing that "I'm all eyes and very tall" thing. Like they were scanning for intruders.
Today, I saw a hawk casing my yard--okay actually sitting in a tree across the street--but it was screeching. The smallest two chickens (RIR and an Ameracuana) had retreated under the deck and the larger three were very close to the house, very flat and very quiet. All hiding-like.
I'm assuming that this hawk got lucky with my littlest and most stupid chicken and now is back for more. Are hawks like that?
thanks.
Leslie
(who won't actually kill a hawk but would consider an Airsoft deterrent)
After making a bullet (and racoon)-proof coop with red, blinking, warning lights; I lost my smallest chicken to a hawk. At least I am pretty sure she was grabbed by a hawk. She is completely AWOL and there were no feathers scattered about. My dog swears she is innocent, the cats do not look particularly satisfied, and the snake has not left her cage this week.
Little White (the chicken) disappeared two days ago while my flock of 6 was free-ranging in our fenced backyard. She was a small Ameracauna, about 12 weeks old, and the runt of the crew (3 Ameracaunas, a RIR and two Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks). Maybe about 2 lbs? She also was the one who tended to stray from the flock. I cannot tell you how many times I had to round her silly butt up, pull her out from under the shed, or show her where the rest of the flock was hanging. Sigh.
When I discovered her missing, (the second time that day) the rest of the flock had retreated into a single nesting box (5 chickens), inside the henhouse in the middle of the day and were doing that "I'm all eyes and very tall" thing. Like they were scanning for intruders.
Today, I saw a hawk casing my yard--okay actually sitting in a tree across the street--but it was screeching. The smallest two chickens (RIR and an Ameracuana) had retreated under the deck and the larger three were very close to the house, very flat and very quiet. All hiding-like.
I'm assuming that this hawk got lucky with my littlest and most stupid chicken and now is back for more. Are hawks like that?
thanks.
Leslie
(who won't actually kill a hawk but would consider an Airsoft deterrent)
