Neighbor busted for hawk death

[halo]

I let mine free range on my 10 acres in the afternoon, until dark. I may have lost a few chicks, but no adults, that I know of. If I did, it would be my own fault. I would never ever kill any kind of raptor for taking my chickens. Its my responsibility for protecting my chickens, and if I lose a few to hawks, so be it. Actually, my chickens are pretty hawk savvy. We have a lot of crows here who do just as good of a job of protecting from hawks as my dogs do. As soon as the crows start in, all the chickens go on alert.

I did see one hawk take a small black chick that was out in the field...he came in like a kamikazi pilot before I could even react, grabbed the chick, and took off.

I do have certain birds that I keep in my kennels all the time, my breeding stock, that never gets to free range. But my layers all free range.

Raptors are wondrous creatures.

 

[TheChickenCameFirst]

Much more worth it to spend the money on defense for your chickens! It's sort of free money for the gov. and I'm not too keen on that! They are protected all over the USA. We have several hawks in our area, they fly overhead screaming. I once saw one carry a cat away!!!

 

[halo]

My neighbor used to put his cats outside at night and bring them in the morning. I told him that just wasnt a good idea, since we have coyotes and owls here. He just scoffed at that. Well, of course one morning he came up missing, and they found the carcass later on in the day up in a tree, from where an owl had taken it. He later said he took care of that owl; I certainly hope he was kidding on that account.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

This is why you shoot shovel and shutup Not brag about it LOL. I just look at the hawks and wish they were dead, I dont got the heart to shoot one. but I have chased my fair share down the roads and threw the pastures in my truck.car yelling obsenitys and blowing on the horn hehe.

 

[koop]

Quote:
Didn't I read somewhere that free range birds are more stressed then birds that are in a run? I don't think anyone from an animal rights group would say that though.

If it were up to "one group" on how you should take care of your chickens, they would all be dead. "one group" takes in unwanted pets, but they don't adopted them out, they kill them because they don't believe we should have pets.

(sorry can't name "one group" here)

 

[calista]

While out for a walk on a five-mile loop with five- and ten-acre mini-farms, I happened to look across the road to a distant pasture and see a man pointing what looked like a .22 up in the air and then the sound of a shot. When I followed his sight line, I saw a majestic, white-headed bald eagle soaring in my direction. As the eagle passed over me, his flight feathers on one wing poufed up, and I heard another shot. The man with the rifle had it pointed in my direction and there is no doubt he was shooting at the eagle across a public road.

I continued walking, noting the name and address on the mailbox. When I got back to my computer, I was able to anonymously report what I had seen on my state's Department of Fish and Wildlife Incident Report site.

Wish I coulda been there when they chatted with the guy.

P.S. He didn't appear to have any chickens or coop on his property. It's people like this the Migratory Bird Act is meant to protect against.

 

[silkydragon]

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as long as you have grass in there run it is considered free range big companys that sell free range eggs have an outside run that is so small not half the chickens can be out at the same time

 

[birdsNbeesNseeds]

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Good for you!!!!

I lived in a neighborhood just like this where chickens and other livestock weren't allowed just a few years ago (only a couple of horses- go figure.)

We were overrun with field mice. Every stinking year. I cheered the hawks for gliding over the empty fields nearby to catch them.

One year some idiot decided he was going to shoot everything he saw... we found dead turtles, hawks, you name it. Wild turkey and quail disappeared in no time.

I never found who did it, but if I could have I would have done the same thing as you.

No, I don't like that hawks kill chickens- but as someone else pointed out- we eat them too. If you value them, protect them- same as your pets or other animal you have.

 

[halo]

There have been hundreds of cattle egrets in the fields recently. I dont know what they are munching on, some sort of bugs, but Im glad they are. I was at my neighbors hanging out near his koi pond (nearly a half acre pond), looked up and saw a bald eagle swoop into the field where the egrets were, snatch one up, and fly off. There is so much game here for the hawks and eagles, I think they dont go after chickens that much.

 

[theFox]

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Not exactly true.

In most states wild animals for which there is no declared open season are protected.

Do not for example shoot an animal that there is only a trapping season for, or trap an animal that there is only a hunting season for.

All migratory birds are not protected all of the time there are seasons for a number of migratory birds and yes you need a hunting license and a bird stamp (sometimes two) in order to kill them.