It's WAR!

[JenniferJoIN]

I'm declaring WAR on whatever it is that just got our second chick last night. un One of our Speckled Sussex's just disappeared. That's the second chick in 3 weeks that has disappeared. It's always in broad daylight and had to be close to our house b/c the chicks don't go far from their coop.

Grrr.

So now I'm down to 12 with 10 coming this week from Ideal.

 

[LynnGrigg]

Jennifer, good luck catching "it". I've read that hawks are bad in fall. They could sure swoop down and snatch one without leaving much evidence. We have a breeding pair in the woods next door. I'm hoping my(mostly heavy breed) chickens are too large for the coopers hawks.

 

[hsm5grls]

Hawks are amazing. I have a pomeranian and a hawk chased it across the yard. I looked out the window while doing the dishes and her poor little legs were just pumping as fast as they could and that hawk was right over her, She ran up under the pourch and sat by the front door just shaking. That hawk flew up under the awning after her. I opened the door and the hawk flew off. It was funny when all was done but boy I watch her outside now. I don't want to see her fly off in the tallons of a hawk. Hawks are quiet to i would have never known what happened to my little dog if I wouldn't have looked out the window at that momment and caught it in the act. Thank God she got away.

 

[JenniferJoIN]

Wow... I've never heard of one chasing a dog! (Even if it WAS a small one!)

I told DB that next time I see a hawk around us, I'm going to shoot in its general direction. (Not kill it) to hopefully scare it off. Grr...

 

[hsm5grls]

i thought it was weird too but the nighbor and a few others told me they will try and take out any small animal. it could be that the feilds behind us have all been plowed, they use to be open desert and we have had some interesting animals around. they are all hungry and misplaced, they don't know where to go.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

At that age, it could easily be a cat, too. Is there any way to give them a little more protection until they get a little older, larger and wiser? As full size, wary, assertive adults, they'll have a better chance of survival on their own.

 

[waterfowlrescue]

Some large hawks will try and take small dogs or cats if they are deperate and hungry. These are generally juveniles that dont know how to find food and are really struggling. The best thing to so with a dog is to put clothes on them when they go outside. That way the how sees the clothing and it wont associate it with food.

All the dead birds in my yard are thanks to feral cats that roam the neighborhood.

Another suggestion for people with hawk problems is to create a car port type platform for the birds to get under when something flies over. My ducks learn to get under the plywood when a hawn flies over I woudl hope chickens woudl be the same.

 

[JenniferJoIN]

We don't think it's a cat, b/c we haven't seen any cats since we've lived there. There haven't been any signs of a struggle.

It was my fault, I usually put them up if I'm going to lay down, and this time I thought they'd be okay. They have plenty of things to run under or into (picnic table, their coop, the shed, our vehicles etc) so I guess they're just not seeing the hawk (?) come after them until it's too late.

So I've learned my lesson (again) and they will be put up if I'm not going to be outside for a while.

But I'm still raging my battle! un