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missing chicken?.....Hawk?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by Athensm50, Dec 17, 2013.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Dec 17, 2013 #1
    Athensm50

    Athensm50 Out Of The Brooder

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    ok guys...I came home today an I went to gather eggs.....and I was missing a chicken?.....no hoes in fence or in run....just poof...gone.....Not pile of feather....

    so my question is....IF a chicken hawk got her....did it carry her off???......I was not sure if a hawk could fly with a grown chicken???

    ideas?

    Thanks!
     
  3. Dec 17, 2013 #2
    ChickensAreSweet

    ChickensAreSweet Heavenly Grains for Hens

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    Owls can carry them off. I would imagine eagles could also.

    Hawks I am not sure could lift a large chicken. But they will eat on the ground after attacking if they can't carry the prey away- and will attack a large chicken. You should see feathers if she was carried off in several trips. I have had juveniles carried off in one trip.

    Raccoons will take a chicken away- they climb fences.

    I am so sorry for your loss.
     
  5. Dec 18, 2013 #3
    donrae

    donrae Hopelessly Addicted Premium Member

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    My thought is if a hawk could get one of your birds, so could a raccoon. They can carry prey away.
     
  7. Dec 28, 2013 #4
    Athensm50

    Athensm50 Out Of The Brooder

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    well....happen again....came home yesterday and had 2 missing....saw a pile of feathers in my back pasture and was walking out to see....and there it was....HAWK!!!!....few away.

    makes me so mad!!!!.....so that's 3 gone....at least I know what it was now......hate one of them was my white EE'ers.


    got some fishing line and made a "web" over the top of the run this morning.....I had read several people had success doing that.....hopefully that will do it?


    fingers crossed!!!
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2013
  9. Dec 28, 2013 #5
    Michael Apple

    Michael Apple Overrun With Chickens

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    If you have hawks, especially those big Red Tail hawks in your area, it is best to cover runs with wire fencing and monitor where they range. Open fields without trees are a hawk's dream.
     

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