Hawks and eagles vs. chickens - your experiences

[Rock Home Isle]

This little falcon started hanging around and picking doves off the bird feeder. Blur, poof of feathers and another dove is gone.

I was concerned because at the time my girls were just pullets and could easily have fallen prey. So I emptied the bird feeder. Doves went else where for food and so did this predator.

 

[centrarchid]

This little falcon started hanging around and picking doves off the bird feeder. Blur, poof of feathers and another dove is gone.

I was concerned because at the time my girls were just pullets and could easily have fallen prey. So I emptied the bird feeder. Doves went else where for food and so did this predator.

Juvenile Coopers Hawk.

 

[dekel18042]

I'm wondering if chicken owners out there have ever witnessed a hawk or eagle carrying off an adult chicken. I have chickens myself and have studied wildlife for years, my specialty being sage grouse. A sage grouse is about the same size as an average standard (not bantam) hen chicken. When a grouse was eaten by an avian predator, the remains had telltale clues: prey was flipped onto it's back, innards gone, musculature stripped away from tough tendons, head/wings/legs usually remaining attached or near the victim. I was under the impression that most hawks are not big enough to carry off a chicken (or grouse, for that matter), but eagles are. Would anyone like to share what you've witnessed? Include breed/size of chicken, species of hawk, and any other info possible.

Mostly we have red tails in our area with some cooper's and sharpshins, but the latter two aren't a problem as far as chickens are concerned.
We had a flock of Rhode Island Red pullets only and saw direct hawk hits, where the hawk would eat the bird on the ground or the result of a hawk hit.
When we decided to get more chickens we researched breeds and decided to stick with larger breeds (Have since amended this) and have always kept at least one rooster with the flock.
Twice I've witnessed hawk attacks on juvenile birds but both were misses, In one case a less than two month old Easter Egger who was able to dive under a deck and another time a clutch of birds the same age and all ducked under a nearby evergreen. We have lots of shrubbery and hiding places and it seems thankfully we haven't had the problems with hawks we had previously, but we do still see them.
BTW, I've read that Iowa blue roosters are supposed to be "hawk fighters" and have thought of adding several both pullets and cockerels to the flock, a project for another year.

 

[scooter147]

I have only lost a couple hens to redtails over my 40 plus years. My experience is they strike the bird hard, struggle ensues, then decapitate the bird and eat at kill site.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

     Mostly we have red tails in our area with some cooper's and sharpshins, but the latter two aren't a problem as far as chickens are concerned.
      We had a flock of Rhode Island Red pullets only and saw direct hawk hits, where the hawk would eat the bird on the ground or the result of a hawk hit.
      When we decided to get more chickens we researched breeds and decided to stick with larger breeds (Have since amended this) and have always kept at least one rooster with the flock.
      Twice I've witnessed hawk attacks on juvenile birds but both were misses, In one case a less than two month old Easter Egger who was able to dive under a deck and another time a clutch of birds the same age and all ducked under a nearby evergreen.  We have lots of shrubbery and hiding places and it seems thankfully we haven't had the problems with hawks we had previously, but we do still see them.
     BTW, I've read that Iowa blue roosters are supposed to be "hawk fighters" and have thought of adding several both pullets and cockerels to the flock, a project for another year.
    

Red tailed hawks are also known commonly as Chicken Hawks....go figure.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I have witnessed them attack and kill, but never attempt to carry off, some of my bantams. If they don't try to take a bantam I can't imagine them carrying off a standard!

 

[SillyMissLily]

Wow, this is interesting. Thank you for all the input, I love hearing everyone's individual accounts.

 

[ch1cken]

So yesterday a large bird hawk or owl, attacked my biggest hen it couldn't carry it away but it dove in twice and attacked. The next day it wouldn't come out of the coop at all so I took it out of the coop and the other chickens were pecking at her beating her up. Another day went by with her staying in the coop. So I picked her up carrying her to the house I turned her on her back. Holding her still to check for injuries and she flips out screaming throwing her head around and dies it was quite sad any suggestions what happened?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have only lost a couple hens to redtails over my 40 plus years. My experience is they strike the bird hard, struggle ensues, then decapitate the bird and eat at kill site.

The struggle is usually quite a long one. Then feeding begins, often while the chicken is still alive. I have rescued chickens after a long time in the hawks grasp (15 minutes) and these chickens seemed uninjured. However in all these cases while the hawk held my chicken down with one foot, he had to fight off a flock of crows with his other foot so feeding had not started. Numerous people have reported rescuing partially eaten chickens who survived being a red tail's dinner guest. GHOs are another matter.

 

[teach1rusl]

From a bald eagle group info. page:

Q. What size of prey will a bald eagle be able to take and carry?
A. A strong bird might be able to fly off an item that is about 1.8 kilograms (four pounds). A smaller bird would be able to carry less weight than would a larger bird.

Bald eagles are larger than red tailed hawks, so I would think could carry more weight. This would indicate that carrying away full sized chickens would be very difficult for hawks. Of course have eaten/gutted ones would be doable.