HAWKS!

[scooby]

I never thought i would see it but i did!. I just started letting my girls out to free range during the day about a month or so ago. and they love it. so i just happen to be outside with the kids ( they where finding the easter eggs) and the girls where out. and they had just come in from the field ( cause we were out in the back yard) so my big black jersey is the last to wonder in and she walking slowly back alone and just as i turn around a huge hawk swoops down on her. tries to grab her and she starts sqwakin and bawkin and flaping and takes off for the coop, and i realize that the coop door was shut so i run off to open the door for her and tell my 9 yr old to drop her basket and get the others to the coop. and this hawk sat there and circle for about a minute about 15 feet in the air . I was amazed i never thought i would see it happen!! and of all bird to try and grab, the big 10 pound jersey!! now im alittle worried about letting them out!!!! Now what??

 

[patyrdz]

Wow! It must have been really hungry to do that with so many people around! I would only let them free range when someone can watch them while holding a gun! If there is one, there may be more.

 

[Cetawin]

hmmm sounds like a juvenile to be that stupid...I mean to grab a jersey with people all over?

Watch them when they are out and do not shoot the hawk...it is a jailable offense but you can free range them in a confined space of sorts or under strict supervision. The hawk will be back that is a fact.

They dislikes fluttering shiny thiny things...likes CDs that shiny silver tape stuff..you can try those but if you free range them there is the risk of aerial attack on them.

 

[Miss Kitty]

I suspect a hawk....my little Lucy a year old is gone. No evidence of anything. But here in the country area hawks do fly around. I let the chickens my three hens run free. I don't want to pen them all day long only at night. I will try some CD's shinning outside in the yard. I will try to keep a better eye out. But I am so sad over Lucy being taken....I just know it's a hawk. That is life I guess. People are that way too.

 

[kartking22]

Your chickens will learn from this experience. Next time a hawk flies overhead, they will run for cover. My roos sound off even when a crow flies over now and everyone runs for a safe place. Their safe place I found is under a large pine tree in the front yard. Even though it really doesn't protect them much, that's where they go.
I put up a 10'x10' net about five feet high around thier safe place to keep them out of reach even if the hawk would decide to try to grab one. There are many ways to deter hawks but This is what I found to be the less costly solution.
Sorry to have you witness this attack. Hope that this may give you a solution or idea on how to keep the hawks away.
Kart.

 

[scooby]

well i dont think this hawk was a juvenill it probably had a wing span from one tip to another of atleast 3 ft from what i could tell ( i'm a bad estimator) so i dont think it could have been that young but it sure didnt care that there was 3 people standing right there. so would it be a good idea to get a roo, cause i dont have any. i also dont have any trees, bushes, or anything just a open field, weeds and dirt. thats why she booked it to the coop after it happened it was the only cover. luckly she was only about 15-20 feet from it at the time and not out in the field. i knew we have hawks around cause i see them all the time but i didnt think it would go after a full grown chicken...

 

[BorderKelpie]

I had a problem with hawks as well. Now all my guys are kept in a covered pen. I had a hawk try to get them through the cover. She hit it so hard, it stunnd her and my dog caught her. She went to a wildlife rehab, and now the dog thinks it's his job is to watch for hawks.
I recently borrowed a roo to put with my girls, turns out, roos crow at flying kites! My neighbors' kids love to fly kites and I am afraid it's going to get to the point where the chickens start to ignore things flying overhead. Especially since one of the kites looks like a Blue and Gold Macaw (I like that one tho, reminds my of my parrot, one of mine is a B&G macaw, too)

Never a dull moment at my house!

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Just a note -- altricial birds (birds that stay in the nest for a relatively long time after hatching) are usually just about full-sized when they leave the nest. You can often identify juveniles by differences in plumage, but not often by size.

 

[scooter147]

Like I said before we have one hawk that is friendlier than some of my hens. He/she sits on the fence post or the clothesline post and has no fear of me. I can get within 20 feet before it flies off and then only moves as far as the next perching spot. I believe they truly know I can't do anything about it except keep the chickens in their covered run and when I do let them out I have to stay outside and keep an eye out like the head roo, I am, should do.