Hawk attacks Banty, then 9 year old girl....twice!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Manok-Tao]

Had to post this story. This morning a gal at work that knows I have chickens came up to me and explained the following...
My niece was out side playing with my banty's...a hawk flew down and grabbed a bird (right at the girls feet), the girl (9 yrs old) began beating the hawk, the hawk eventually let go after several smacks from the girl. Sadly the chicken was killed. TWO hours later the girl went back outside to check on the rest of the birds that had been put back in the coop, my friend was on the porch of the house watching her walk across the yard to the coop. The hawk swooped down from a tree and landed in front of the girl....raising it's wings and flapping them wildly while trying to bite the girl in the feet, legs, knees. The hawk was scared off again but spend the remaining hours of daylight perched on a low limb of a tree by the house....not by the coop.
Never heard of aggression like that before. My co-worker wasn't sure if it was a red tailed or red shouldered hawk.

 

[mamaKate]

She should call the Conservation Dept. and report it. It may have been hand raised and not afraid of people.

 

[plumberroy]

that would be one dead hawk if it was my niece Shoot shovel and shut the he!! up

 

[texaschickmama]

Sorry, but if it was killing my livestock AND attacking my kids, it would be taken care of!! I've worked hard for my kids not to be scared of any chickens here, even the roos, so I be danged if they would be scared of a hawk and have to watch their backs everytime they went outisde.

 

[cw]

yea, i would bust its arse as well, they have been protected to the point there over populated here,

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
I'd say amen at that funeral and I wouldn't throw a flower in the hole first either.

 

[DuckLady]

Please be careful of what you post on open forum. If you think there are not Fish and Wildlife reading here you are mistaken.

*It is the responsibility of the person with the predator to determine the legalities of what they do and that person will take ultimate responsibility. BYC does not condone illegal acts.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Personally, I like to roll with the idea that it's my job to construct coops and runs such that the girls are safe from any predator reasonably expected to be in the area.

It's not really cool to be shooting hawks and stuff. They'll migrate away soon enough. You're the one keeping chickens in their space.

 

[emys]

Get that girl a super soaker water rifle, and cover that banty run! We have so many hawks migrate through in spring and fall. I wonder if hawks can get rabies?!

 

[JestersEye]

As much as I would be sad to lose any of my chickens to a hawk, or any other predator, I have to agree that they are just trying to eek out an existence using whatever prey they can find in the area. Humans have drastically reduced the available food sources for many species and it isn't their fault that they must resort to hunting livestock sometimes. The best option is to do what we can to predator-proof our coops and runs. If you choose to free-range, set up deterrants as best you can, but be ready to take your chances and accept some losses.

I've lost two birds to hawks myself, and now choose to free-range only on occasions when I am there to watch over the flock. That still won't prevent losses, but at least it improves the chances of evading disaster. Anyway, try to see it from the hawk's point of view... If you (and your family) were hungry, how easily could you resist partaking of a perfectly good food-source that was just there for the taking? Just saying, we can't really blame the wildlife for being part of that whole "circle of life" thing.