Lost my first chicken

[Happy Chooks]

Of course, it had to be my 9 year old son's chicken.

We were out of town for a few days. Wed morning my neighbor and her son came and let them out, and they were all fine. She came in the evening to close them up, and the vultures were on one. Her husband came and cleaned up the body and they got the rest of the chicks in the coop. Then she came and let them out on Thurs.

So we get home Thurs afternoon, and as usual, they are under the coop. (since it's hot) I was keeping an eye on them and at 3:30 there was enough shade that they started coming out to forage in our orchard. I was looking out the window at them, and I see a hawk gliding down to about 2 ft off the ground. So I ran out yelling and clapping my hands to scare it off. Luckily it worked. So I put the chickens in the coop, and they are in lockdown until my DH puts up some barriers to block the hawks path through the trees.

So the hawk attacked one of my largest chickens, but couldn't make off with it. We have a few smaller pullets, so I'm surprised it didn't get one of them.

Anyone know how long it will keep coming back? It wasn't a red tailed hawk, I'm thinking Cooper's from the patterns I saw on the wings. I can't keep my chickens locked up forever, it's in the high 90's everyday.

 

[meriruka]

So sorry about your loss.
I lost two to a young hawk, I remember kneeling out in the snow, bawling my eyes out, tying netting over the run.

Unfortunately, the hawk will keep coming back until he is convinced there is no way to get to the chickens. I hope you're able to come up with a good solution to protect them.

Meantime, maybe some frozen gallon jugs of water in the coop would help with the heat.

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

I would try bird netting over the run, and cold watermelons, etc while they wait.

 

[Happy Chooks]

My DH has the idea to put t posts in the ground in a staggered manner and criss cross wire between them to block the hawks flight pattern. We saw it come in, and the orchard is fenced with a 7 ft high fence, so it can only come in length wise. It could still come straight down, but be more difficult and hopefully give the chickens more warning to go hide.

We thought about using netting, but if we snared the thing, what would we do with it? Can't shoot it, as it's illegal. Not to mention I have a 9 year old and 6 year old blabbermouths.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
Not certain that this is the reason, but Speckledhen told me to hang old CDs (compact disks) from fishing line in the trees. The reflected light, etc would keep the hawks away. We have done this and had no issues with hawks since. Previously I lost 4 (3 consecutive days) to hawks. 1 coopers and 1 red-tail. I allow my flock to free range daily. I hope this is the reason and not just "chance". Hope this helps.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks. I will try the CD's as well.

 

[wundernurse]

I had a hawk get two of my young ones and it kept coming back for weeks until I guess it figured out there were no more free meals. Now, six months later I see one every other day or so, but I don't think I am on their daily tour of homes. Because they do still fly over regularly, my birds only free-range when I am out there with them to watch over them. Hawks stink... there is no easy solution.

 

[meriruka]

Quote:
That's what I had done originally........criss-crossed shiny ribbon & fishing line. The hawk simply landed on the fence, found a hole and jumped down in the run.

I've never heard of one getting tangled, though I'm sure it's possible.
I think you'd need a seriously heavy duty pair of gloves to untangle him, then let him go. He'd be so terrified he may not ever come back.