helicopter scare tonight

[Yvonne1]

I was out cleaning the coop and had my 2 D'Uccles and 4 BSL out in the yard. All hens. They were all milling around and scratching in the side yard when from the north came a very low copter. All of the hens came running to me, and looked to the sky with that sideways, right eyed stare! Spooked the crap out of all of them! I had never had them all run to me for protection before! I soothed them & got them relaxed easy enough.
I always worry when they're out in the yard free ranging & not in the covered pen whether or not they'd look to the sky for danger. No rooster to look out for them. They do like to stay by my Brittnay, though. He's good to them, oddly enough, as he's a bird dog who hunts.
Just a funny "predator" story!

 

[cavemanrich]

Yes, you witnessed the chickens engaged in self preservation. They view your dog similar to you as their protector. Reason why they all stared with their right eye, is because it is their distance sight eye. The other eye is focused to see up close tiny insects on the ground in front of them. The obviously do use their hearing, as they knew something was approaching.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,

 

[redsoxs]

I know just what you mean. I live near a military base and they are frequently doing practice maneuvers with helicopters flying low right over the house and my birds are not a fan!