I almost cried... Hawk attack

[porkchop48]

My poor little marans and barnvelders were attacked by what I do belive was a hawk.

They were about 12 weeks old.

There went my hopes of having a barnvelder/marans flock come spring...

I found one of the marans in the field, looked like a typical hawk eating. No teeth marks, insides left in tack, stingy bit of flesh left. I think I may have scared off the hawk ( or hawks) when I got home.

I had to keep myself from crying.. I understand these things can happen with chickens but these were the first guys I bought and actually raised myself

 

[stoopid]

I'm sorry for your loss. They will come back to the all you can eat buffet, now that the hawks know where it is.
You need to cover them up, or lock them up to make sure the hawk doesn't see your yard as their feeding ground.
There are many threads on this problem, I hope you find a solution, I have lost many to hawks....

 

[M.sue]

Sorry to hear this.....I never let my flock my free range when I'm not home just for safety reasons. I've seen hawks around but luckily haven't loss any. There has been a couple times when I've been outside with the flock, all calm & quiet and all of a sudden the girls silently run for cover in the garden or next to pine tree. Yup.....hawk above. They are silent and deadly.

 

[Magic Birdie]

Awww

So sorry

 

[porkchop48]

Does this mean my flock will never be able to free range again?

Their run does have a cover and is secure but they were out free ranging when it happened.


My older birds were fine. Was it just because the marans were smaller they were able to take them easier or will they take out the whole flock?

 

[Magic Birdie]

Quote:
No, I wouldn't say that. Maybe just let them out for a bit when you're watching them.

 

[M.sue]

They do hit the smaller ones just for the fact they can carry them off. We have a couple owl decoys out in the yard and some tin pie plates strung on a post. I was told that it would help discourage the hawks.....They don't like owls and the tin pie plates cling in the wind, are shiny and produce a glare when the sun hits them.....looks like too much activity for them to strike. I don't know if it actually helps but I have them out.....makes me feel better cause it's some sort of safety attempt.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Hawks tend to target smaller members of flock first. During spring and summer my roosters are detourant to hawks but dog is better all year round. You can provide cover so juveniles can hide but hawk will go in their if larger chickens are not present.

 

[M.sue]

Quote:
Hawks tend to target smaller members of flock first. During spring and summer my roosters are detourant to hawks but dog is better all year round. You can provide cover so juveniles can hide but hawk will go in their if larger chickens are not present.

Yes a dog...mine is always outside when the flock is free ranging!

 

[Sleepy71]

Sorry for your loss. We just got our first three hens, already laying. We've been aware of at least 1 or 2 hawks in our area, so we will only let our birds out when we're outside with them. I have a hawk decoy, which I used to have placed near my attempt at a garden, but I don't think that really kept the hawk away. I'd see him swooping down in the area, probably testing the decoy.

I'll have to try to pie pan thing, too.