Yikes! I was outside working in the yard and had the chicks out in the grass not far from me. I noticed them oddly glommed onto the trunk of a shrub, all quiet and still. Didn't make a lot of it, then realized they were still there. While staring at them, wondering what they were up to, a hawk darted over us! Thank heavens for instinct! They were back indoors in their kiddie pool so fast they didn't know what hit them. What a scare! They aren't going back outdoors again until they're 7 pounds
Glad to hear they got away. Mine used to run under a boxwood shrub to find cover from hawks. By the way do they live in a kiddie pool? upside down?
It's a kiddie wading pool in my basement. It's not upside down, and they've just recently been able to get out of it, so it's surrounded with a cardboard ring to make it higher. It's worked well for the first 10 Amazing, isn't it how something as 'simple' as a little chick knows enough to hide from something it's never seen when the bluejays and mourning doves don't bother them at all
I was once watching the birds eat out of a feeder on my back porch, and was marveling at how paranoid they were about the watching the sky. Just as I thought that, a hawk dive bombed the feeder. Everyone survived, but I was amazed at their instincts. It's actually comforting to know that your chicks noticed the hawk. I'm not sure that mine would, they are pretty oblivious, with their cute little butts in the air, looking for bugs.
I'm so glad you didn't loose any! Just as a side note, 7 lbs won't protect them depending on the kind of hawks you have. We lost a 10 lbs rooster to a hawk. I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it. It just swooped down and the it and the roo were gone just as fast as he came. Jess
I am so glad you did not lose any. Smart babies you got there. My girls spent Sunday afternoon outside in their tractor. Daughter and I were sitting there watching them and off in the distance a redtail squealed...all 6 of them ran to the corner of the tractor near my knee and huddled down. I thought it was cute and I was the proud mama because they instinctively knew that was not a good noise and ran to mama. Natural instincts are a good thing.
I wish I knew my raptors better... it was small with a narrow, pointed tail. It was probably the size of a robin. I wasn't really thinking my adults had much more to worry about than foxes and raccoons, thanks for the warning, Jessica! I would have put money on my little guys being oblivious myself, but there is something in their little heads afterall! lol, I'd have been so sad to lose one, 2 were from my first ever hatch and are imprinted on me. The other 3 are orpingtons I've been wanting forever! Lucky
Probably a Kestrel. They are the smallest of the raptors, and the first you are allowed to own when you start falconry.
Probably a Kestrel. They usually eat insects, mice are big for them. A Red Tail Hawk will easily and happily take a 7 pound chicken.
I lost all but two of my first set of chicks by a hawk. They were probably about a month old when they were out running around. Now I don't let my biddies out until they are about six to seven weeks old.
