Wow! What a day! I'm glad everyone is ok, get some restI just had my first actual hawk attack EVER in the 20 years of having chickens, almost lost one. I heard a frantic panic from where the bantam Cochins and EE hens were free ranging, knew it was an attack from the sound, and ran for the flocks. All of them were flying and running back to the barn, but one hen was letting out a constant bloodcurdling scream from downhill a bit. The hawk had one of my Buff bantam Cochins down, but I got there before he was able to get any further than her fluffy feathers and he flew off, Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned, didn't get the best look. Maybe she was too slow to react or the hawk was just lucky. The group was petrified and refused to go back outside. It terrified every bird in the barn to hear Dove's screams of fear, none wanted to venture outside the rest of the day, but Dove got off without any punctures or other injuries. Then, I let Mace, the splash bantam Cochin rooster,out with his four old Barred Rock hens, but they hung around the barn door for awhile, then got brave enough to go outside to lay under some plastic tables for cover. i did not open the gate to allow free range time for them after what happened, so, no incident with them.
Then, I did let Bash, Brandy and Cora outside, thinking maybe the hawk was then gone and would not risk an attack on those huge birds anyway. Guess the hawk must have been really hungry, having had no luck earlier with my little hen so he made a liar out of me.
I got my second scare of the day when I was outside on the deck talking to a friend on the phone about the incident when I heard an alarm scream, saw Bash run from behind the other building that blocked my view of the left hand side of the pen he was in near the front gate. He shot over a few steps, putting him in my sight, then he turned to face the threat, flared out his feathers to look even larger than he is, stretched up tall and was ready to fight. It was amazing to see him do his roosterly duty so well.
I saw the hawk swoop toward the barn door as I was running for the pen, then disappear behind the barn. When I got to the barn, Sebastian had wedged himself under the nests while Brandy and Cora were in the back corner under the roost. We then decided enough was enough and locked up the barn for the night. Good grief, that is definitely enough for one day! In between the first incident and the second, I found out that my lovely friend Cheryl (getaclue) had passed away so I have a headache and am about ready for bed at 7 p.m. Whew. If I was a drinker, this would be the day. If I am this stressed, imagine how the chickens feel, especially old man Bash. I hope it doesn't affect him too badly as his age.
