Michigan

[RaZ]

Quote:
how you gonna get eggs if you cook em????

Didn't say I was gonna cook 'em.

Yet.

 

[Opa]

Not to denigrate the wonderful work performed by raptor rehabilition centers, I think many of the people who work in them are a lot like many parents are with there kids; my baby couldn't have done that. Many hawk other than redtail will take chickens. Last year I lost two hens to a migatory coopers hawk and I have watched sharp shin hawks take pheasants. Just because a species of hawks feeds primarily on rodents doesn't mean it won't kill something larger given the opportunity.

I have heard raptor experts claim they won't kill anything that they can't fly off with. I know that to be blantly wrong. I have watched hawks feed on ckickens that they couldn't lift and I have watched video of eagles killing sheep and wolves. Neither could they fly off with. While some hawks may ignore your larger birds, all will take a chick if given the chance. There is only one hawk that is definitely not a threat and that is the kestrel or sparrow hawk.

Other than keeping your birds under some type of cover, there is no sure fire method to prevent loss due to raptors. It will happen and the best attitude is to be sad for the loss of your chicken and glad that God has created so many wonderful and beautiful birds for us to enjoy.

 

[NovaAman]

Quote:
I think those are great names!

My son just named the new silkie roos Roger and Mark... He said they looked like a Roger and Mark, so...

I think you need one more chicken, and name it Rotisserie

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
I think those are great names!

My son just named the new silkie roos Roger and Mark... He said they looked like a Roger and Mark, so...

I think you need one more chicken, and name it Rotisserie

 

[chickflick]

Quote:
I went to the Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Twin Lake the other day, what a great learning experience. Anyway, accordig to the experts, the only real threat to the chickens are Red-Tailed Hawks, the others only take small rodents and such. The Red-Tailed Hawk is the big one that all the movies use for voice-overs for Eagles since Eagles don't make any screaming niose just little barks. The Red-Tailed can take rabbits and larger birds (chickens). I'll bet you're seeing a Sparrow Hawk or Falcon (pointed wings) where the Coopers, Sharp-Shinned, and Red-tailed have a more rounded wing. My buddies wife came home one night to see a RT Hawk in the chicken run it somehow crawled in through a hole and had a heck of a time getting out, no chickens were lost cause they all scampered into the coop.

Thanks for the info!! I do have rabbits, but they're in the covered chicken run. "It" had opportunity to get a chicken either at my house or Kristin's but didn't. Guess it was just checking things out to see if we had anything else to offer it.
Ok, just read the rest of the posts and I will proceed with caution when it comes to hawks. My hens all stayed in the covered run today. Was in Lansing all day, so sure didn't want to take the chance. Thanks all for the discussion.

 

[NovaAman]

ok... Gotta check out this Roo... I know, he's in a coop run... temporary... and I know its not good wire, but the coop on top is secure with a full floor... But look at that color on this roo! He also has some green feathering in his saddle and tail... But MY silkie roos aren't this way! And they came from the same breeder! Mine are younger... but makes me wonder if I have more girls than boys now!

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
I think those are great names!

My son just named the new silkie roos Roger and Mark... He said they looked like a Roger and Mark, so...

I think you need one more chicken, and name it Rotisserie

or finger-lickin'

 

[NovaAman]

Lemon-pepper!

 

[RaZ]

A friend of mine raises pea-fowl, but a few years ago he had 3 turkey. Their names were Thanksgiving, Christmas and Lucky.

 

[NovaAman]

Thats funny!