Hawk encounter

[EvaRay1525]

Hey y’all. I have a lot of chickens and In the past they were free rangers, then the hawks came and took 3-4 chickens in a span of 4 months. I have kept them locked up and I monitor them when they are let out. The hawks haven’t been back in the last 3 months and so I let the chickens be free rangers. After a month of letting them free range a hawk came back. Funny thing is that the hawk only came to drink out of the water feeders. The chickens were walking and eating with a hawk next to them! Has anyone seen this behavior before?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Chickens dont seem to recognize a bird of prey as a threat when the raptor is on the ground. Also, hawks normally only kill when they are themselves in need of a meal or feeding nestlings. My guess is your hawk visitor had already caught its daily meal & was simply thirsty. That doesnt mean that hawk wont return tomorrow for a chicken dinner. Do you know what hawk species it was?

 

[cmom]

Somewhere on BYC some time ago I remember something similar but I still wouldn't trust the hawk. Good luck...

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Somewhere on BYC some time ago I remember something similar but I still wouldn't trust the hawk. Good luck...

I fully agree on not trusting that hawk. Just because the chickens dont view it as a threat on the ground doesnt mean the hawk wont attack.

 

[EvaRay1525]

I don’t know what breed it was but it was grey and I think with a yellow beak.