Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

The Squash has taken over!!

 

[fisherlady]

Wow! I'd say so. But I love it! But nice to have your harvest right by the door

 

[BullChick]

Everyone needs to throw things at @OneMountainAcres for threatening us with a bunch of snow. As it is, my area was just switched to flurries in an hour.

 

[BullChick]

After that, none of that stuff is currently forecasted anytime soon.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

This is supposedly what's happening here... it's not doing anything out there yet though.

And don't blame me for this one....I saw it on Facebook...

 

[BullChick]

Well, there’s the problem! You should get rid of Facebook.

 

[fisherlady]

Yep, I avoid FB at all costs! Although the marketplace has tempted me, so when I need something related to marketplace I call my stepson, lol. That way I get the benefit without direct exposure

 

[feliciadawn]

I just lost my only polish to a cooper hawk -- my first ever hawk attack. I have had all kinds of chickens and have only lost my polish (2 of them) to predators. Even my little silkie did better, and my frizzled cochin managed to fly over the fence to hide.

Anyway I saw the hawk get through my trees by landing on the fence and then flying in. So I set up the fence with electric on top just above the fence-line and a ground wire right beneath that in the spot of landing. Sure enough the hawk came back, and there was a lot of fluttering as it tried to leave in a hurry. Do you think it will be back again after getting a shock?

 

[dheltzel]

I just lost my only polish to a cooper hawk -- my first ever hawk attack. I have had all kinds of chickens and have only lost my polish (2 of them) to predators. Even my little silkie did better, and my frizzled cochin managed to fly over the fence to hide.

Anyway I saw the hawk get through my trees by landing on the fence and then flying in. So I set up the fence with electric on top just above the fence-line and a ground wire right beneath that in the spot of landing. Sure enough the hawk came back, and there was a lot of fluttering as it tried to leave in a hurry. Do you think it will be back again after getting a shock?

I would not be at all surprised if it returns quickly and often. This time of year is tough for the inexperienced fledglings. I think many die of starvation, or come close, and they will do anything for a meal, even endure physical pain or dangers their parents would never get close to.
It really is a shame you can't have a big, beefy rooster to guard your flock. The small hawks are definitely no match for a big rooster. I once found a dead Coopers or Sharpshin hawk in a pen with only Legbars, I assume the young legbar cockerels ganged up on the little hawk and it could not get away in the enclosed space. In a free-range situation, the hawk would just fly away and probably stay away.
I also have Polish for the first time (Gold Laced) and they are hysterical looking, but I can see how a predator could sneak up on them.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I just lost my only polish to a cooper hawk -- my first ever hawk attack. I have had all kinds of chickens and have only lost my polish (2 of them) to predators. Even my little silkie did better, and my frizzled cochin managed to fly over the fence to hide.

Anyway I saw the hawk get through my trees by landing on the fence and then flying in. So I set up the fence with electric on top just above the fence-line and a ground wire right beneath that in the spot of landing. Sure enough the hawk came back, and there was a lot of fluttering as it tried to leave in a hurry. Do you think it will be back again after getting a shock?

Sorry for your loss. I have hawk problem too, so my chickens only got free range for a couple hours per week when I stayed outside with them. It seems always this time of the year that hawk attack happens a lot. My half polish girl Sunny doesn’t have issue to escape though. And my head hen is a Welbar and is very good at watching hawk. I don’t know if it will come or not. I guess you will have to wait and see.