Hen sounds alarm honk, sounds like false alarm until peregrine falcon takes off

[Animalfisherwoman]

My ISA Brown adult ranges the backyard, four 8 week old girls are in a grow-out pen to protect them from her, and a 6-week old is in a temp cage outside to protect her from both. Today, the hen went off with "cluck cluck HONK! Cluck cluck HONK!" Went out twice, saw nothing. I come in, and immediately, cluck! cluck! HONK! Come out again, look around, don't see an issue...until this large peregrine falcon flies across three feet away. Very silent, very hidden, and thanks to my hen who took on some roosterly protection today, all my girls remain!

 

[snow5164]

Sometimes when we find their noise and commotion annoying , we need to realize they are seeing or hearing something we can’t .... animals don’t make a fuss for no reason , that’s what people do glad your hens are all ok

 

[centrarchid]

Hawk not likely to be a falcon of any sort if you are in North America. When I have a chicken giving an alarm call to a raptor it sees, the chicken often orients at an angle to the foe and looks at it with one eye where head is cocked to eye facing directly at what chicken is looking at.

 

[HappyDancin']

Welcome to BYC!
What a great hen! Yay! A hawk can snatch up those little 6-8 week olds too easily. What a delight that she's protecting everyone!

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Update: Hen starts the cluck cluck HONK, cluck cluck HONK again. I go out, and there is this peregrine falcon on TOP of the grow-out pen, hawkeyeing my five nine-week pullets in there while keeping a distance from this honking strutting alarm system! (My phone was dead, thus no pix, but WOW)

 

[RNPAULIE69]

Hawk not likely to be a falcon of any sort if you are in North America. When I have a chicken giving an alarm call to a raptor it sees, the chicken often orients at an angle to the foe and looks at it with one eye where head is cocked to eye facing directly at what chicken is looking at.

Why not likely to be falcon? We have them all over mass and nh

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Hawk not likely to be a falcon of any sort if you are in North America. When I have a chicken giving an alarm call to a raptor it sees, the chicken often orients at an angle to the foe and looks at it with one eye where head is cocked to eye facing directly at what chicken is looking at.

Indeed, I was thinking "hawk" as well. I've watched red-tails, owls, osprey, even a couple eagles along the shore south of sf, and I had to look him up. I never saw a peregrine before.

Alerter hen WAS looking at it in the way you say, though. Her neck was craned with one eye up.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Why not likely to be falcon? We have them all over mass and nh

Peregrine falcons are so stealth that appearances have sparked minor media frenzies. I don't blame skeptics for saying it wasn't him, but it was, and I don't want his friend Mr. Red Tailed Hawk to join in. Any tips to dissuade raptors from your chicken-friendly backyard?

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Great story! Great hen!

 

[Stayc]

feed your crows. they will honestly deter the hawks (I don't know about falcons). I have a good flock of 10 or more crows that come and wait for me to feed them daily. they will chase off a hawk for sure. otherwise, keep them locked up for 2 weeks until the falcon moves on. best of luck with your falcon problem.