Light colorded birds...hawk and owl targets?

[Intheswamp]

Do light/white colored chickens tend to be targeted more by hawks and owls than do darker and mottled chickens? I'm read this and seen where people have stated it. It makes sense to me that the lighter colored chickens would be more of a target, but has anyone actually noticed a higher incidence of predation on their lighter colored chickens than their darker ones? We have our local owls and and a fair population of redtails around here.

The reason that I'm asking is that I'm still trying to figure out my primary breed of chicken for my flock. The chickens will be in a large run....probably 3000-4000 square feet, but it will mostly be uncovered. When I'm able to be around they'll free range in the pasture beside the house (or where ever they decide to go I 'reckon

). I plan on going with a heritage breed and would like to choose one on the critical or threatened list. So far I have ruled out Delawares due to their mostly white feathering, but.... ????

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Ed

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Yes, the hawk at our house last year went after our a couple whites, a couple buffs, a Buff Laced, and I think one Self-Blue.

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

I do beleive that lighter colored chickens are tarketed more by predators. Easier to lock in on.
I have rir, marans, and have had white leghorns and buffs orpingtons. Notice the past tense on white leghorns and buff orpingtons, hawks and raccoons got them. I came home and the single buff was just GONE. No feathers, nada. I assume a hawk carried her off as she was only half grown and very light.

 

[Katy]

I can't keep any light colored guineas....those are the first ones the owls pick out of the trees at night.

 

[Wifezilla]

I lost 2 ducks to a hawk. One was brown, one was white

 

[Imp]

I've heard the same thing many times. And it makes a certain sense, but I have a white free ranging chicken and nothing has happened to her (or any of the others either). So I guess it's not guaranteed. IMO I don't think hawks or owls etc have any difficulty seeing other colors or movement and the difference would be small.

Imp

 

[terri9630]

My chickens don't free range so I don't know about those, but I have a friend that lives in town that has her rabbits loose in her backyard and it is always the white ones that go missing. Around here rock/block walls with big iron/wooden gates are the normal backyard fence materials so we know it isn't a dog so we are assuming it is the hawks.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Agreed.
My four light brahma hens free range with the rest of my flock. Never had a problem *knock on wood*

 

[fancbrd4me02]

There are wild chickens in my yard. I have seen them hatch many broods. The hatches tend to contain mostly brown/chipmunk chicks, but sometimes there is a yellow of two. Out of hundreds of babies hatched in the past few years, only one or two yellows made it to adulthood. Hawks tend to go for the yellows first. Interestingly, the few blacks that hatch do not fare much better, most of those are eaten too.

 

[Intheswamp]

Hmmm, well it looks like the lighter chickens tend to have a bit more risk than the darker colored chickens. I'm figuring on some non-blue easter eggers for part of my flock so hopefully there will not be any (or just one or two) in the chicks that I hatch. The primary breed is what I'm still deciding.

I've been everywhere from buff orps to dominiques to buckeyes, and several breeds in between.

Guess I'll keep looking, it looks like I have plenty of time.

Thanks for the feedback!

Ed