Hawk in my chicken pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ChickyD]

Great pictures! Their absolutely beautiful birds. I'm sorry you lost one of your chickens.

 

[Jason Y]

Quote:
yes...its out..thats what the last pic is. Its sitting in the tree.

Cool- I was not sure if the one in the tree was "IT" or another of the hawks in your neigborhood. For me we loose a couple every fall to what I assume is the same Sharpshinned Hawk migrating South. This spring I lost one to a Bald Eagle, and had what I assume is the same Bald Eagle come back two more times, wounding different birds. It was not that commited to the kill, because I know they could carry off a Jersey Giant if it really wanted too.

In addition we lost 7 this summer to Coyotes, however this I accept the blame for. You can't expect to freerange chickens with no fencing and not have some kind of loss. I was at the time working on my new chicken run.

JY

 

[Lbrad7]

YIKES!

 

[baldie]

Quote:
yes...its out..thats what the last pic is. Its sitting in the tree.

Cool- I was not sure if the one in the tree was "IT" or another of the hawks in your neigborhood. For me we loose a couple every fall to what I assume is the same Sharpshinned Hawk migrating South. This spring I lost one to a Bald Eagle, and had what I assume is the same Bald Eagle come back two more times, wounding different birds. It was not that commited to the kill, because I know they could carry off a Jersey Giant if it really wanted too.

In addition we lost 7 this summer to Coyotes, however this I accept the blame for. You can't expect to freerange chickens with no fencing and not have some kind of loss. I was at the time working on my new chicken run.

JY

Hello again...we lost quite a few this summer due to hawk attacks..then we also lost some to a fisher cat (these ones would sleep in the kids playhouse...i didnt know), then we lost some to something that dug under our door which is also cemented..not sure what could fit through it..we thought maybe a raccoon. I hate losing chickens but like u said u cant not expect it if they are free ranging.

 

[melodie_a]

We had a Hawk get in our coop this weekend. Hubby went out to feed the chickens and heard a commotion by the time he got there our female cochin was dead and the others were hiding in their coop. We still aren't sure how it got in but there was a gap around the door that I have been concerned with so I am thinking that may have been the entry point. I thought it was too small to be a problem but it was a small Hawk so I am not sure. We just opened the door and he flew out. He didn't even get to eat what he killed, maybe that will make him think it isn't worth the effort of trying again. I am glad that it wasn't our favorite chicken Honeybun, it is terrible to lose any but we would all be devastated if we lost her. We have now reinforced everything.

I am sorry for your lost chicken.

 

[baldie]

Thanks...we have a pen that is roofed with a door...we leave the door open so they can go into their outdoor pen which is 3 dog fences round...the one here must have just flew in..the chickens all hid the actual coop except for the one it got..it may not have even been this particular hawk that ate the other chicken...we have a ton of them around here. But we havent had any problems since we put the dog pens up so they could somewhat free range..We cant let them range here due to the hawk problem..but I can say this...I havent seen any since

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Cooper's are pretty big. Maybe your's is a sharp-shinned? They are pretty small, and look almost the same except for size.

 

[kla37]

Hawks scare me more than anything. I'm not too worried about other predators at night because our coop is really well built, but death from above is my main concern. I still haven't let them out of their run to play except to "work" in the enclosed garden with me.