Illinois...

[ChicagoClucker]

Thanks for the advice and hope it goes ok. Having 6 chicks in a dog crate in the house is beginning to get a little stinky, even changing it 3 times a day.

 

[JustHenny]

Ugh, i know that smell all too well. lol

You should be able to put the dog crate out there now. Then keep them in the coop but inside the crate for a couple days, at least when the hens come inside. It will acclimate them without the hens being able to pick and peck for a little. The getting to know you stage can really minimize damage once the littler guys come out. I kept my little guys near the coop with the older hens and a rooster. by the time my two babies went in, the older guys barely noticed them. a little peck to make sure they knew where they stood in the order but that was it!

 

[NotAFarm]

I took this pic tonight locking-up. It is one of my momma hens and her pullet chick. The pullet is too large to get under momma but that doesn't stop her from trying....

close-up.....

 

[Nwchickma]

I took this pic tonight locking-up. It is one of my momma hens and her pullet chick. The pullet is too large to get under momma but that doesn't stop her from trying.... close-up.....

Haha, mama looks so annoyed. Like "really?!?"

 

[Faraday40]

Was out of town for a week. Finally caught up at home. Had a great time in the desert sun but a rough day returning. My chicken sitter did a great job, but unfortunately I have a very, very determined hawk. It killed one of my 3 Amigos. My neighbor sent our dogs out after it and called my chicken sitter (another neighbor). She cleaned up the pullet carcass to prevent the hawk from getting rewarded. This is the 1st time we ever lost a chicken of any age. I knew it would likely happen at some point, but the dogs, kids, tree cover & rooster usually deter most hawks. Because my chickens have kind of become a neighborhood project, many are saddened by the loss.

RIP Miracle. (She required assistance hatching, so we say it's a miracle she lived.) Miracle was the golden pullet. The 3 Amigos did everything together & haven't yet bonded with the flock. Perhaps that's why the hawk 1st targeted them.



Here's Miracle trying to go for a dog ride.




I've been keeping the chickens locked up for the past 3 days. Today I let them out while I cleaned. After 5 min, I called the chickens back & was handing out treats before locking them back up. All of a sudden SQUAWKING & FLAPPING! Less than 15 ft from where I stood a hawk made a grab for Princess then it flew right past me! Some ran to the coop, some needed my personal escort to walk from the bushes back to the coop, & some frozen in fear just needed to be carried.

Not sure how to get this particular hawk to leave. I've been looking at online pics & think it's a Cooper's Hawk. It's probably the same one I caught INSIDE the run over the summer. It flew in through the open human door & was sitting on the roost waiting for a chicken to walk out of the coop. Before that I've seen it here many times terrorizing the young chicks in the tractor. When approached it simply flies just a little out of reach. Not afraid of people at all, so I just start throwing rocks until it flies off the property. My dogs can do a better job chasing it off, but they're not out 24/7. Today it attacked even with the dogs outside - but not nearby.

The hawk has definitely been getting more comfortable here over the past 6 months. Anyone have advise or ideas?

 

[NotAFarm]

Was out of town for a week. Finally caught up at home. Had a great time in the desert sun but a rough day returning. My chicken sitter did a great job, but unfortunately I have a very, very determined hawk. It killed one of my 3 Amigos. My neighbor sent our dogs out after it and called my chicken sitter (another neighbor). She cleaned up the pullet carcass to prevent the hawk from getting rewarded. This is the 1st time we ever lost a chicken of any age. I knew it would likely happen at some point, but the dogs, kids, tree cover & rooster usually deter most hawks. Because my chickens have kind of become a neighborhood project, many are saddened by the loss.

RIP Miracle. (She required assistance hatching, so we say it's a miracle she lived.) Miracle was the golden pullet. The 3 Amigos did everything together & haven't yet bonded with the flock. Perhaps that's why the hawk 1st targeted them.





The hawk has definitely been getting more comfortable here over the past 6 months. Anyone have advise or ideas?

Sorry to hear about Miracle. I know your pain. I lost a couple to a red tailed hawk the summer of 2013.
Here is a link with some information you can try. Save Our American Raptors is an organization that may be able to help. One of the things they do is resolve human/raptor conflicts. The phone number is on the bottom of the page.
http://www.soar-inc.org/

 

[SixChickFlock]

Was out of town for a week. Finally caught up at home. Had a great time in the desert sun but a rough day returning. My chicken sitter did a great job, but unfortunately I have a very, very determined hawk. It killed one of my 3 Amigos. My neighbor sent our dogs out after it and called my chicken sitter (another neighbor). She cleaned up the pullet carcass to prevent the hawk from getting rewarded. This is the 1st time we ever lost a chicken of any age. I knew it would likely happen at some point, but the dogs, kids, tree cover & rooster usually deter most hawks. Because my chickens have kind of become a neighborhood project, many are saddened by the loss.

RIP Miracle. (She required assistance hatching, so we say it's a miracle she lived.) Miracle was the golden pullet. The 3 Amigos did everything together & haven't yet bonded with the flock. Perhaps that's why the hawk 1st targeted them.



Here's Miracle trying to go for a dog ride.




I've been keeping the chickens locked up for the past 3 days. Today I let them out while I cleaned. After 5 min, I called the chickens back & was handing out treats before locking them back up. All of a sudden SQUAWKING & FLAPPING! Less than 15 ft from where I stood a hawk made a grab for Princess then it flew right past me! Some ran to the coop, some needed my personal escort to walk from the bushes back to the coop, & some frozen in fear just needed to be carried.

Not sure how to get this particular hawk to leave. I've been looking at online pics & think it's a Cooper's Hawk. It's probably the same one I caught INSIDE the run over the summer. It flew in through the open human door & was sitting on the roost waiting for a chicken to walk out of the coop. Before that I've seen it here many times terrorizing the young chicks in the tractor. When approached it simply flies just a little out of reach. Not afraid of people at all, so I just start throwing rocks until it flies off the property. My dogs can do a better job chasing it off, but they're not out 24/7. Today it attacked even with the dogs outside - but not nearby.

The hawk has definitely been getting more comfortable here over the past 6 months. Anyone have advise or ideas?

I'm so very sorry to hear this, Faraday.

Somewhere, someone suggested firecrackers to scare them away. I almost stopped for some before leaving Missouri. Vigilance and extra hawk sense may be the only way, short of keeping them penned up. I'm hoping my hawk will find a reliable food source somewhere other than my yard.

I've been thinking my hawk is a rough-legged hawk. I need to take pictures...

 

[kfacres]

Mt. Vernon area people...

I have a trio of Blue Laced Red Brahmas, could be show quality if someone wanted that, and a young trio of their offspring that I am planning on taking to the Tractor Supply Swap this weekend, unless I can get them sold first. Will make a deal on them.

Unfortunately, I won't have access on here for the next couple of days, so if you're interested call or text me. 618-322-2582. I repeat, do not try and contact me on here, call or text only as I'll be without internet.

 

[Nwchickma]

Was out of town for a week. Finally caught up at home. Had a great time in the desert sun but a rough day returning. My chicken sitter did a great job, but unfortunately I have a very, very determined hawk. It killed one of my 3 Amigos. My neighbor sent our dogs out after it and called my chicken sitter (another neighbor). She cleaned up the pullet carcass to prevent the hawk from getting rewarded. This is the 1st time we ever lost a chicken of any age. I knew it would likely happen at some point, but the dogs, kids, tree cover & rooster usually deter most hawks. Because my chickens have kind of become a neighborhood project, many are saddened by the loss.

RIP Miracle. (She required assistance hatching, so we say it's a miracle she lived.) Miracle was the golden pullet. The 3 Amigos did everything together & haven't yet bonded with the flock. Perhaps that's why the hawk 1st targeted them.



Here's Miracle trying to go for a dog ride.




I've been keeping the chickens locked up for the past 3 days. Today I let them out while I cleaned. After 5 min, I called the chickens back & was handing out treats before locking them back up. All of a sudden SQUAWKING & FLAPPING! Less than 15 ft from where I stood a hawk made a grab for Princess then it flew right past me! Some ran to the coop, some needed my personal escort to walk from the bushes back to the coop, & some frozen in fear just needed to be carried.

Not sure how to get this particular hawk to leave. I've been looking at online pics & think it's a Cooper's Hawk. It's probably the same one I caught INSIDE the run over the summer. It flew in through the open human door & was sitting on the roost waiting for a chicken to walk out of the coop. Before that I've seen it here many times terrorizing the young chicks in the tractor. When approached it simply flies just a little out of reach. Not afraid of people at all, so I just start throwing rocks until it flies off the property. My dogs can do a better job chasing it off, but they're not out 24/7. Today it attacked even with the dogs outside - but not nearby.

The hawk has definitely been getting more comfortable here over the past 6 months. Anyone have advise or ideas?

Oh no Faraday! i'm so sorry! That hawk has been around a while. Now that the trees are bare they are providing even less coverage We need to get some crows to live in your area to help with protection.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I took this pic tonight locking-up. It is one of my momma hens and her pullet chick. The pullet is too large to get under momma but that doesn't stop her from trying....

close-up.....

How cute is that! Thanks for the help. The transition from house to coop is going well. I tried putting the dog crate in the coop, but it is so big, it took up almost all the open floor space. So instead, I built a little corner unit that I thought just they could fit in and out of. But my buff orp keeps pushing her way in.She is very curious but nice. So far, they seem to be mixing well. Sat out there with them and watched the meet and greet when my buff went in their area and they all came running out. My barred rock is a tough cookie and she did give a couple of pecks. The last 2 nites the babies are out and about when I go out to turn off the garage lite, so I figure things must be ok.