Hawk Scare?

[2DogsFarm]

I've gotten into the habit of letting my girls "freerange" in the mornings.
The quotes are because I leave the coop door open when I go to feed the horses and the girls don't go very far from the door - maybe 5'?
I return in about 1/2 hour and generally they are all back inside the coop happily discussing their adventure.

This morning as I came back from the barn a redtail hawk flew by followed by a horde of little birds (love watching the little guys chase the big ones

)

Anyhow - my girls were all inside the coop, up on the roosts, talking "in low voices" & seeming pretty upset.
They didn't come down until I tempted them with some fresh greens, and even then they seemed pretty unsettled - continuing to chat amongst themselves, sounding worried...
(I know..anthropomorphizing here)

Do you think they got swooped at? Or maybe just saw the hawk?
They are only 13wks old, so it's not like they have a lot of experience with predators.
Genetic memory?

 

[Uppity Peon]

I definitely believe in genetic memory. My chickens always sound an alarm and seek cover when they see a hawk. They have never had a close call. Their run is covered with netting and I have all these shiny CDs tied to the netting. And hawks get mobbed by wild bird around here too!

 

[RendonRoo]

I've come home to a hawk roosting on top of my covered run. Chickens were inside the coop. When they heard my voice they would take turns peeking out the poop door. It took them about a half hour before they came out. I think it's instinctive. Good Luck

 

[GoldenSilverLaced]

They know hawks -- mine haven't had any close calls (except the first day I put them out in the travel cage -- 2 hawks landed in our yard about 10 ft away and I drove them off. Ballsy birds. After that sometimes they took to sitting on the neighbor's roof and watching.) but they know what noises a hawk makes and what they look like. They're wary.

 

[2DogsFarm]

They were still kinda spooked last night - noone wanted to come outside. The finally did, but went back in almost immediately.
poor little girls - I hope they get over it.

Very cool that they instinctively know danger.
These were hatchery chicks so probably didn't get any teaching from Mom either.

Oh well, handyman is coming so old rickety fencing comes down today.
Maybe t-posts & chicken wire will get put up (by me) tomorrow and the girls can have a safe place to hang out.

 

[Equus5O]

My girls are about 4 months old. They get out for an hour or so a day, in the late afternoon. We are loaded with crows this year! The cawwing never stops. But, they're taking care of the hawks. Every day I see the crows chasing the hawks away. I can deal with the cawwing if it means no hawks.

 

[LaSombra]

mine hush up when they see a shadow from something overhead. It doesn't have to be a hawk... but they'll send out the little warning trill and hush up for a minute to make sure all is safe. The older ones are only about 10 weeks...