I slapped a hawk today.

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
Thanks Rebekah, I was just lucky because I typed it before I realized it was a pun.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Wow! Kudos to you! The hawks here like to perch on our back porch...but they don't go for the birds!

They are our squirrel-eaters!

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Wow! But can you wear headphones with your kindle (like books-on-tape) or were you going to sit and read to the chickens?

We are lucky to be protected from our local Harrier by a mom & dad crow raising their 2 baby crows nearby. That harrier had our rooster 3 times, but he fought him off. Maybe it was just a territory spat, as in "what is that guy? Is that another hawk?" vs. "can I eat that guy?" But the crows are the most effective hawk deterrent. Once the harrier grabbed our roo RIGHT BEHIND ME AT MY FEET. Luckily he was never hurt.

Our 9 year old named the harrier Foofoo. He hardly comes around anymore. Those crows bugger the tar out of him if he does.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Recently we saw the post about a barred owl inside somebody's coop! That got me to thinking I'd really like one of those around here because barred owls EAT SKUNKS! Wouldn't that be a nice silver lining to backyard chickens attracting predators? We left a shaggy tree trunk up for it, just incase it wants to hang around the chickens but ACTUALLY EAT the SKUNKS! Oooh I would love that. Imagine......free of skunks at last......

 

[insiderart]

You should write to the Kindle folks and tell them you have a new advertising idea for them! LOL!

So what were you reading on said Kindle... I wonder if it makes a difference in it's predator defense mechanism?

 

[AHappychick]

last year IU had a cooper land right in fronty of me and proceed to walk to my choos pen

I could not believe it so brasen, I yelled at it and even through pebbles at it with no reaction. it was not until I was 3 feet from it that it flew off.

beautiful, but I dont like them much

 

[Lunachick]

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They are brazen. Did you ever notice how much abuse they take from crows or bluejays? They're probably used to it. And I guess if they are hungry enough......

 

[Henrietta23]

Off and on this spring we've had a red tailed hawk scouting our birds. It would sit on branch and just watch them. We had to pen them and cover the pen. They hate it. I miss letting them out. Maybe I can use this story to convince DH to buy my a Kindle for my BD???

 

[momonpillowhill]

We have red tails, coopers, turkey vultures, crows and owls. My ladies and a couple of gents are free range to the point of ridiculus. But the point is most of it is near our pool and whenever anything is spotted, we get the noodles and run around waving them. Works pretty good. Most of the girls take cover in the bushes and the like but in the winter...Yep big bright colored noodles with loud screaming kids waving them...well, you get the idea.

Trish

 

[CallyB57]

Do hawks attack full grown chickens? Mine are getting close to 18 weeks old, but the EE hen and the BO hen are not that large.
I think down in LA, the horned owl and the red tailed hawk are the main raptors??? The area I have for them to eat grass and bugs is too large to cover on top - it's about 60' x 40'. I once saw a photo where a man had taken string and criss-crossed it back and forth over his large pen. Any other suggestions?