Hawk eyeing my chickens - Picture!

[thespinningcottage]

He was easy to frighten off, but this is why my chickens are only out under supervision. We have also had lots of problems with raccoons, and a bobcat was sniffing at the run one morning about 8:30. Sheesh! Everyone loves a good chicken dinner.

 

[fasbendera]

Just a heads up that out with supervision is no guarantee that they won't attack. I had a hawk take one out and I was less than 25 feet away in my garden. I ran at it waving my hands and yelling and off it flew with my pullet. It only happened while I was out with my girls the one time but I now know that being there doesn't mean safe. Bobcats!, so being in a colder climate maybe does have some benefits for a backyard chicken.

 

[Bassleg]

All I can say is s.s.s.

 

[NateinFL]

Lucky for you that is a red-shouldered hawk and they prefer smaller prey like lizards, grasshoppers, not adult chickens. Protect any babies though, I saw a hawk taking off with one of my chicks this spring, I heard commotion, by the time I was out the back door hawk was flying off with baby. The mother hen actually flew a short distance after the hawk trying to get her baby back but quickly ran back to the bushes for her other babies.

 

[Boyd]

thats a pretty bird though

 

[chickenguysmom]

I must admit that I have revised my opinion of letting them out with supervision as a hawk tried to snatch our 3 month old white silkie that was just 8 feet from me on Saturday morning. It all happened so quickly and that hawk came out of no where. Luckily for me I was able to chuck the peice of tupperware I was holding at it and that took it by surprise. That gave me a split-second to start running and clapping. The hawk left without it's lunch and it about scared me to death. (Not to say what it did to that poor little silkie - she continued to shake for the rest of the day safely back in her house.)

Animals have awesome reflexes (except for that darn little silkie) and if I had been a foot or two farther away there is nothing I would have been able to do to save her. I have always thought that a hawk would see me near by and move onto easier prey, boy was I wrong. It still makes me mad to think about it. You spend weeks, months, years raising your babies and then to think it could all be gone in an instant. Boy that just grinds my gears. (I don't feel as bad for the mice and rabbits the hawks get, seems to me they had it coming for eating the chicken food and the tops off of my sweet potato plants).

Keep a wary eye out for those pesky hawks. I myself will most likely build a larger pen and keep my ladies safe. I wish I could go back to free-ranging but I don't think I could bear the loss of one of my chicken-friends.

 

[awtandrocks]

I've got the same issue at my place.
This is the only picture I have but there are two of them and one was sitting there looking into the coop the other day!

My chicks are only 6 1/2 weeks old so they are still pretty much hawk bait.

I was sitting out there watching them free range on sunday afternoon and all of a sudden the blue jays just went off like crazy and my chickens were off like a bullet out of a gun into the underbrush with the roosters leading the way, so I guess they are learning how to survive in the great outdoors!

As it is they pretty much stay under the oaks that are near to their coop.

 

[scooter147]

I was standing out by the run last night just watching my birds whe all of the sudden they jumped and flew in all directions (my run is covered with netting) and a red tail swooped down out of no where (well at least out of nowhere for me, the chickens obviously saw it) and flew up into the oak tree in the yard and just watch ever thing below him for a good 15 minutes.
I firmly believe the chickens know they are safe in their run and coop. They kept an eye on him but didn't seem overly concerned.
Now, I have had the same thing happen when I let them free range and I have chickens scattered all over the property and hiding in all kinds of places and many will stay hidden for hours.

 

[erijn5]

I am having the same problem in IL. We have a family of these hawks!

They will not stay away from our pens, 1 picked up one of my med. sized babies from this yrs. hatch but it must have been to fat, cause it dropped her. My chickens are free range all day,

and now I have noticed that I missing a couple. I'm not sure if this is due to them or a fox. But it is sad!

This one in the picture was not scared of anything! I walked about 10 ft away from him and took the second pic. I ended up throwing a rock cause the chicky's were scared to death.....

 

[chickenbottom]

i hate hawks and owls and i know what i shouldnt do but sometimes i just dont think lol