Almost had a hawk issue yesterday. I was letting the laying flock free range while I worked on the barn. I had just come off the ladder, and had to go in the barn to find a piece of wood. On the way, I noticed that the flock had spread out into the field next to the barn, and were a bit farther away from the barn than they had been. So I went over to the door that looked over the field just to watch them doing what chickens do. I hadn't been there more than 30 seconds when a hawk came across the field and over the fence. I yelled and ran into the field waving my arms, and startled the hawk into changing course and then flying off. Suddenly I was surrounded by chickens and turkeys fleeing across the field and into the barn. I'm pretty sure I would have lost one if I hadn't happened to be there at that particular moment.
Needless to say, free range time was over for the day, I lured them back into their run and shut them up safe before I went back to work. It sucks that I have to pen them up to keep them safe. It was so great seeing them wandering and scratching and just being chickens.
Needless to say, free range time was over for the day, I lured them back into their run and shut them up safe before I went back to work. It sucks that I have to pen them up to keep them safe. It was so great seeing them wandering and scratching and just being chickens.