Oh my gosh. Just saw a hawk surveying my chicken coop...

[Soon2BChixMom]

Yesterday a hawk killed one of my chickens I came outside and the girls where freaked out I didn’t see him at first and then the sucker jumped onto the fence and was looking right at me I looked down and saw her I close up that part of the pen for the winter they are all still traumatized I feel like a failure up intill last week I had a rooster intill my neighbor complained I had him for 4 years and never had a problem a week after I rehomed him I get a hawk attack I am so upset sorry for venting

Sorry to hear that. It’s ok to vent. I would be super upset too.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I believe hawks are the worst predator. They have no fear of humans, thinking nothing of swooping in for an attack on chickens right at your feet. This has happened to me more than once.

One time I was peeling logs as I was splitting them for firewood, letting the chickens pick out the bark beetle larvae as I pried the bark away from the wood. Literally out of the blue came a hawk, diving down at the panicked chickens right beside me. Luckily, it miscalculated and no one got hurt.

Wow. Did not know that hawks were that brave. What a good chicken parent you are letting them hang out and get bark beetle larvae!

 

[BY Bob]

I believe hawks are the worst predator. They have no fear of humans, thinking nothing of swooping in for an attack on chickens right at your feet. This has happened to me more than once.

One time I was peeling logs as I was splitting them for firewood, letting the chickens pick out the bark beetle larvae as I pried the bark away from the wood. Literally out of the blue came a hawk, diving down at the panicked chickens right beside me. Luckily, it miscalculated and no one got hurt.

I too have had a hawk attack while was with the girls. I can only assume it was the same bugger. He clearly is targeting the white leghorns they stand out too clearly. This time the Australorp alarmed and the leghorn high-tailed it for the lilac bush. She made it and the hawk chasing her actually got caught up in the bush. I was 10 feet away at the time. I charged the bush once I realized what had happened intending to strangle the hawk if I had too. It's crazy what runs through your head. Lucky for the hawk (perhaps me as well) he got out before I got there. But he just flew to the top of my shed. Just out of reach. I tried to scare him off but he would not budge. We stood there starting at each other for like 10 minutes before he flew off.

Hawks are the worst. Everything else is afraid of me.

 

[Sublight]

A hawk swooped and missed all my babies the other day. They haven't free ranged in the yard since. only in the pen. Its still uncovered though.

 

[BY Bob]

A hawk swooped and missed all my babies the other day. They haven't free ranged in the yard since. only in the pen. Its still uncovered though.

Please get something to cover the run. Even cheap plastic fencing will deter the hawk. Otherwise I fear for your birds.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I agree with BY Bob - find something to cover the run with. I was surprised how close the hawk got to the coop just to check it out.

 

[Scott214]

This little guy i found on my shed looking hard at the chickens. And the chickens were acting weird like this guy had tried something before.I didn’t know if it was a hawk or what because of the size but it had a really sharp beak and talons but i got lucky and it flew into my mud room where i trapped it and caught it i drove it 10 miles away and let it go. Anyone know exactly what this was

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

This little guy i found on my shed looking hard at the chickens. And the chickens were acting weird like this guy had tried something before.I didn’t know if it was a hawk or what because of the size but it had a really sharp beak and talons but i got lucky and it flew into my mud room where i trapped it and caught it i drove it 10 miles away and let it go. Anyone know exactly what this was

Could be a juvenile which can be harder to identify. But, it’s beak doesn’t look like a bird of prey from what I can see. A lot of birds are dependent on their location. Where are you located?

 

[DuckMochi]

I've been seeing a hawk circle over my/my neighbor's house the last couple days and it makes me worried. 1 because we live in a place that hawks shouldn't be flying around and 2 because both houses have chickens

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

This little guy i found on my shed looking hard at the chickens. And the chickens were acting weird like this guy had tried something before.I didn’t know if it was a hawk or what because of the size but it had a really sharp beak and talons but i got lucky and it flew into my mud room where i trapped it and caught it i drove it 10 miles away and let it go. Anyone know exactly what this was

Looks like a juvenile Red-tailed hawk...