Hawk IN the coop... it had to WALK UP THE RAMP to get in there...

[thistlewick]

The girls were outside free ranging, but this little @#*$*#@ went to investigate the coop and got stuck inside.

I wanted to let it rot in there... but they are "federally protected" (sarcastic, sassy voice on FULL) for whatever the hell reason for I don't know.

Anyway, I opened the side doors to let it out. While it could see me it wouldn't move. I had to go around to the back of the coop and bang on it to get it to leave. It left.
My poor girls are huddled in a bush way around the front of the house.

we are missing ONE chick -- no body to be found anywhere

this was quite a day, as earlier at noon, I chased off a hawk (perhaps this very one?? hard to say) trying to get one of my OTHER chicks and I got her to safety and she made it out okay and got all the other ones on their coop (separate coop)

Lordy... the crows live about 6 acres away and don't always see them when they come in from the East.... sigh.

I lost Rose. Silver Laced Wyandotte. But I saved her sister Pepper.

I have to get a headcount of my big girls, but they are under that bush tight as can be, scared &*(less and not making a sound. They have better sense than the smaller ones.

What a day.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m sorry for your loss
That photo is literally my worst nightmare!

 

[thistlewick]

I’m sorry for your loss
That photo is literally my worst nightmare!

Thank you - I know it's risky where I am and we don't have a dog yet. I'm scared to get a dog -- they chase and eat chickens! but they are good at chasing off hawks... bleh! I'm on pastures, so I can't just use hawk netting lol

They are gonna be locked up tight for a few weeks until they stop coming back.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Sorry for your losses, but please don't blame the hawk. It's only doing what it knows how to do: feed itself.

I have a fox problem. Lost eight ducklings last week. I don't blame the fox.

It's a risk we take when free ranging.

There are deterrents you can use, like shiny tape/ribbons on poles, or even aluminum pie plates.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Thank you - I know it's risky where I am and we don't have a dog yet. I'm scared to get a dog -- they chase and eat chickens! but they are good at chasing off hawks... bleh! I'm on pastures, so I can't just use hawk netting lol

They are gonna be locked up tight for a few weeks until they stop coming back.

My dogs are fine with the chickens (I’m lucky, I know), but they’re useless with hawks. We had one land in the yard practically ON the dog, and they did nothing.
Now if a SQUIRREL gets in the yard….

 

[The Coop Crew]

I would have an actual heart attack. Also, Not all dogs chase/eat chickens. They have dogs bred specifically to protect chickens. We have a dog who doesn’t bother our chickens at all.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

So sorry about your loss. I'm glad that it didn't get anymore.

Hey, this is an old thread, but maybe it's worth looking into: Legal Elimination of Hawks and Owls

 

[StinkyAcres]

Sorry you lost Rose. Chicks are predator magnets. I would keep chicks in a secure covered run until they are older and larger. That is a Cooper's Hawk which is a small species of hawk that can't carry away a full-grown standard hen.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Sorry you lost Rose. Chicks are predator magnets. I would keep chicks in a secure covered run until they are older and larger. That is a Cooper's Hawk which is a small species of hawk that can't carry away a full-grown standard hen.

But they will certainly try! We had a juvenile try to take on our BO

 

[Luv Ducks]

The girls were outside free ranging, but this little @#*$*#@ went to investigate the coop and got stuck inside.

View attachment 3907867

I wanted to let it rot in there... but they are "federally protected" (sarcastic, sassy voice on FULL) for whatever the hell reason for I don't know.

Anyway, I opened the side doors to let it out. While it could see me it wouldn't move. I had to go around to the back of the coop and bang on it to get it to leave. It left.
My poor girls are huddled in a bush way around the front of the house.

we are missing ONE chick -- no body to be found anywhere

this was quite a day, as earlier at noon, I chased off a hawk (perhaps this very one?? hard to say) trying to get one of my OTHER chicks and I got her to safety and she made it out okay and got all the other ones on their coop (separate coop)

Lordy... the crows live about 6 acres away and don't always see them when they come in from the East.... sigh.

I lost Rose. Silver Laced Wyandotte. But I saved her sister Pepper.

I have to get a headcount of my big girls, but they are under that bush tight as can be, scared &*(less and not making a sound. They have better sense than the smaller ones.

What a day.

So sorry for your loss. If I didn't have strong netting over my area for my ducks I know the hawks we have here in Ohio would have gotten them a long time ago. They picked up one of my neighbors chickens, he threw his shoe at it and it dropped it. He got rid of his chickens shortly after that. They are good for getting rid of mice, rats, even snakes but hard on our flocks.