Losing the flock - Update PICS pg7...

[Mrs MIA]

Sounds like you have things under control.

Adoptedbyachicken reminded me of the time we had some rather large crows take an interest in the coop... every time the birds flew up to perch over the run, the chickens would put up SUCH a ruckus and make a beeline for the coop. They did that about 5 times one day while I watched. I wasn't worried because I knew they were safe, but I could see in your case just putting up small shelters here and there on the property for them to get under in the case of a sky-attack. It might mean you don't have to put up so much netting.
Good luck!

 

[walkswithdog]

Here our Hero chicken, Bear, is in her brooder in the kitchen. Beginning to be ticked about medicating the chicken.

 

[Duppydo]

Its been my experience the best legal hawk control is having crows around( and of course overhead netting). Their is a clan of 5-6 crows around my property most of the time. I have a platform on a 6-8ft pole. I put chicken skin and fat, and other meat scrapes there for them and then call them. Yes, they know me and most always come.Two i reconize by there distinct calls. When the redtail comes around, most always the crows are on its butt, chasing it away.. My hens know whats going on when the vocal crows sound the hawk alarm and take cover under surrounding evergreen trees.
Some folk don't like crows for certain reasons,the crows around my property have been here long before i got into chickens and have always been welcome here. Most crows are very wary of humans, many shoot at the crow.It takes time to build trust if you want to welcome them near your home.
Crows chase hawks from there turf, with or without mans attention. I like crows, have always fed them scraps and they like to hang out around my land and a large surrounding area.
Yes, they will try to steal baby chicks, thier nest robbers and good at finding oppurtunities involving food...Still, when it comes to raising poultry free range and in uncovered runs, the crow can be a very good friend....

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm putting up the crow platform in the "front" pasture. If I can get this group of 20 something crows to hang out even more often they'll be welcome. I hope by feeding them out there they won't so easily translate to snatching chicks later. Though I keep the tiniest under netting so that should be fine.

I'd rather "share" with crows that otherwise protect the flock than feed these hawks.

I do need a dominant Roo and I don't have one. It will come. I've several nice boys coming up.

Bear could use the help.

I've never had a problem with the crows before, not too worried about them.

We have a great horned owl locally. Eventually I'll lose a tardy-into-the-coop bird to him. But I expect that.

It's six birds that really pisses me off. That's a LOT of work down the tubes. Especially losing the best pullet of that goup. Thank God I didn't also lose the best cockerals.

I did use the lids idea yesterday while I gather cds and supplies.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I have a pair of Great Horned here on the property, been nesting here since I moved in and they have never touched a chicken. Great mousers. they raise chicks every year, it's a blast to watch, but I need binoculars.

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm looking at a pyr puppy this week. While I need another dog like I need another hole in my head... It makes sense. He'll have to sleep in the run between the coops but I can get it snugly and get him a good house in there.

 

[DawnSuiter]

There ya go! That's a good solution! Of course I found mine wandering the neighborhood with twine around his neck... but he's been perfect from day 1 for the chickens.

Because he's so young, and we have him "freeranging" we've decided to only let him out freely after dark... keeps him close to home & he takes care of the big scary nighttime threats... while our harmless pack of yappy dogs take care of the daytime threats.

Here's Boy, he's a very thankful mutt mix, but still..

 

[gretchenhau]

I have only lost the banties to the hawk, my big girls, golden comets have been safe. I only do bigger birds because free range. The girls want silkies, but I am afraid they will be bait. I have 8 baby Cuckoo morans in the house that I hatched, can't tell the sex because what I think are girls, fight like boys, the large one with the tail feathers is calm.

 

[DawnSuiter]

and here's a pic of our DAYTIME flock protection, Angel... she's a porch dog (and NO, she's not a beagle, she's a german shepard & I have the DNA test to prove it !!!

seriously

)

if she barks, it's rare, but if she sounds like she needs help scaring something off I send out the other two dogs, two 30lb yappies who live in the house.

So Boy at night, Angel all day & backup if needed for either. Working well, really well here.

 

[walkswithdog]

Well, between the twine net and the reflective stuff and the occassional loud BANG of a shotgun (didn't have fireworks) the hawk hasn't been seen around here much. And I'm pleased.

I was considering a PYR, right? Friday I went to Home Depot just to grab a few things. I went out through the garden dept, past a dumpster. And heard a noise. Beside the dumpster is a box of puppies, cold, huddled puppies. It's barely 30 degrees outside. I grab a cart and trundle the lot back into home depot. The cashier says a lady was earlier selling Pyr puppies, then she left.

She left all right a box of six pyr puppies in the cold. It's after shelter hours so I run that home depot like a vacuum salesmen, please take a puppy overnight and to rescue or a shelter tomorrow... I really did luck out. Five went with other people. the sixth... well she just sighed next to my thigh on the couch.

Bringing home six to a home with eight dogs would have been ... complicated. One I can manage. She's about 20% under proper body wt, had fleas, the runs, dehydrated and cold. Probably has tape worms, that' s next.

Well, she doesn't have the ability to regulate her temp, or manage her thermal mass in her current condition. Much less crate train up at the coop area. She's going to have to get bigger and get healthy before she gets to try life as a guardian. Today she's a q-tip with a bandit mask, getting house-trained and fed every few hours.

Oh, then Sunday - Laura ran to the market to grab some whipping cream and came home with a five month old pitbull... I'm not the only nut in the family. Sweet boy, been abused. Really enjoying being warm, dry fed and loved on in the kitchen. Pit rescues have been notified. Let's hope that's it for the week, I'm out of house space and crates.