This afternoon I walked into my kitchen and saw tons of feathers floating by the door. I opened the door and saw a hawk fly off that had been on top of our silkie coop. In fear I walked around it but nothing but feathers and both silkies inside the coop huddled in terror. The hawk had been grabbing at them through the wire and ripping out feathers but that was it. Big sigh of relief on my part. These are our son's pet chickens. 2 hours later I go outside and see a hawk flying away from the main coop. I get closer and see a body on the ground. The Hawk had managed to get into the run and grab one of my blue andalusians. Or as my husband joked, the wimpy roo pushed one of the young hens out the door. The hawk only got the one and not much, the dog and I came outside too soon for the hawk to get much of a meal. After the next big snow storm (Tues & Wed) we will go out and reinforce the run roof. The chickens will be locked in through the next two days. The hawk it looks like managed to fall into the run in a loose corner, we think. Or pried open the chicken wire at a seam. Then to get out it bounced off the chicken wire on the top until it found a spot big enough to shove itself out of. I guess I am not surprised it was the blue andalusian. Anytime anything scary happens one blue gets stuck under the ramp, too scared to come out to go up the ramp and inside. I guess it is also good she did. Had she gone inside I would imagine things would have been worse if the hawk followed. Our roo is not the best protector.
oh sorry for your loss. we had a bad hawk problem around here last year. good luck with the strom tues/wed.
Sorry to hear about your loss. I know how you feel. I lost 2 hens and a rooster to them this week. I keep telling myself they are just trying to survive and finding it hard with the hard crust on all the snow but that is not working very well. I am keeping my in till the snow is gone or I can keep an eye on them. The hawk came back today but went away hungry this time.
We have so many mourning doves.....why can't they just go for them instead? I guess it's the adage "if you build it, they will come"
Quote:Thats what my husband keeps saying. He actually felt kind of bad for the hawk. Here it was so desperate to get a chicken and when it did it only got a mini meal before being scared off. We went out this evening and it was obvious the hawk had spent a lot of time around the coop before getting into the run. Footprints and wing prints all around in the snow.
With all the snow cover, all of the predators are having trouble feeding themselves. They are getting desperate and willing to take chances.
