Holy smokes! Hawk close call….

[Orpingtons Mom]

Just had a hawk hit, get one my girls and give up. Feathers are everywhere… but all my white girls are present, so he gave up. I actually saw white feathers floating down to the ground… about 15 feet up!

Checking the feathers, there is only one girl whose feathers are … not normal. I’m going to check her shortly, but I think the hawk just got a fistful of feathers. Interestingly, the first hit came near my wild bird feeder.

Rooster had given the alarm and was protecting about 7 or 8 of them.

Question: I have a rooster flock (kept separately) of three. Should I turn one of them out with the girls? That would be two roosters for about 10+ girls.

Almost forgot: will he be back as he’s had a near miss?

 

[Sammster]

Yikes! Glad they're all OK. I had a hawk scare, recently - so, always bring my dogs out when the girls are loose, now (always only when I'm outside)

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Ah! Hey, has the dog protected them in the past?

Oh, and very interesting: the rooster is now on high alert… every time a chicken clucks, he runs to investigate.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yes, the hawk will return hoping to get lucky next time. I know for sure that there are 3 hawk's over here scouting my area because I seen all 3 of them flying at the same time. The hawk's got all of my neighbor down the street's flock of chicken's already because she free ranged her's where the hawk's could get to them. They are still trying to figure out how to get in to the chicken's in those of us that have the predator-proof covered run's and are upsetting those flock's. The hawk's can't get in there, but the chicken's probably don't know that.

The normal breeding time for hawk's is sometime in late February, but it can vary by where you live. It can be earlier in warmer places like in the south.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Should I include the second rooster into the group?? Anyone?

 

[Sammster]

Ah! Hey, has the dog protected them in the past?

Oh, and very interesting: the rooster is now on high alert… every time a chicken clucks, he runs to investigate.

The dogs presence keeps the hawk at bay. 2 golden retrievers. Very visible