Hawk inside the chicken coop

[taurusladee]

We have two sides to our coop, one is for our layers and one is for our meat birds, new meat birds 3-5 weeks old, we just started letting them outside during the day over the weekend. the whole run is fenced with 6 foot fence. Well my husband got home today and there was a very young hawk inside the coop, obviously went in through the door we let them out of (which is really small!) it got out when he was smacking it around with a broom! Thankfully it did not get any of our chicks, they all were outside. My question, and it may be common sense, but do you think it will come back? it was pretty freaked out about being stuck inside! I'm thinking we need to not let them out for a few days, keep it closed up but my husband doesn't think it will come back, being a predator that found a food source, I'm guessing it will....it was very young and small so probably had no idea what it was doing. Any thoughts? we haven't had any of our layers lost to the hawks around here and our roosters are pretty alert, they will run the girls into the tree ine if a hawk is flying around so I don't worry about them too much.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have never lost a single chicken to hawks, others lose them all the time. I doubt it will come back and it probably was a fluke. I personally wouldn't worry.

 

[sourland]

Hopefully it was a quick learner of things to avoid. Several years ago I neglected to close the bobs on a pigeon loft. A GHO entered and killed several birds. I netted him and turned him loose. Next night at dusk he was back trying to get into the loft, but everything was closed up. BOP can be as persistent as weasels/mink/fishers -----------
I have had hawks hit the aviaries right beside me, and once a hawk made a pass at pigeons feeding at my feed.

 

[taurusladee]

And as I was typing this I heard the darn thing out in the trees and looked out as it (I'm assuming at this point! LOL) was flying between the tree lines! UGH! Don't want to lose any of our babies....We have several hawks around here, a nest of them not too far away. A few years ago one of them was sitting on the coop fencing one time looking at the birds but it never flew in. I think with the layers they all stay together pretty much and strength in numbers!

 

[sourland]

Young birds can be particularly dangerous as they have not perfected hunting skills and are generally hungry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Young birds can be particularly dangerous as they have not perfected hunting skills and are generally hungry.

After hearing your experiences I might be a bit more worried.

 

[sourland]

In my experience, this time of year when they are migrating and winter when the ground is snow covered are their worst 'hunger' times. I know them well. They put me out of business. I could no longer justify raising birds for them to kill.

 

[taurusladee]

Young birds can be particularly dangerous as they have not perfected hunting skills and are generally hungry.

That is a good point and the little birds are easy prey, that is why I was a bit shocked it didn't eat any of them. as soon as my husband got it out and opened the small door back up (he had opened the big door when it flew out) all the chicks ran back inside and started eating so I figured they had been outside for a while. We have had our coop for 6 years and this was our first issue with this type of thing. I think we have been lucky so far but don't want to push it. Lord knows the hawk wouldn't have to fight for food with 50 chicks there!

 

[keesmom]

Young birds can be particularly dangerous as they have not perfected hunting skills and are generally hungry.

Definitely. If they are hungry they will try anything. Had a juvenile Cooper's target us many winters ago. Took out a 9 lb Wyandotte rooster first by spearing him through the skull. Two weeks later I found the same hawk IN the coop when collecting eggs. It had followed a hen through the 18"x18" chicken door, killing her. Had it get another before spring came.

Here, I've found that if predators are hungry enough they won't even fear humans. I've had hawks, fox and raccoons continue to attempt to catch chickens even though I, my son and/or daughter, and/or dog were after them.

 

[centrarchid]

I have hawks go onto structures relativity frequently. They are usually after songbirds. There is an uptick with migrants doing it. Coopers Hawks even coming in to hunt mice. If it keeps up I will suggest renaming Cooper Hawk to Barn Hawk.