Peregrine Falcon Problem

[Mother Bird]

Ok. I had to run out in my Jammie's this morning because I saw Steven walk by on his way back from the local Sat farmers market!

He feels it may be either a "Coopers or Sharpie" also. However, he has seen a Falcon not far from here... No definite answer I'm afraid.

Turns out, Steven had a rooster growing up and was thrilled to see my flock. He does the cover for a poultry magazine each year, can't remember the name. This years cover was, much to his chagrin, Guineas. I know some of his prints are Chickens. Look him up! Steven Leed, Lititz, Pa.

 

[Chickawawa]

I had always thought that Peregrine Falcons hunted in the air as well but we positively identified one that took out our large SPR rooster yesterday and 2 hours later took out my favorite SPR hen. The rest of my flock is freaked out. They are so happy free ranging that I hate to take that away from them. I am going to try the owl decoys but my question is, the chickens have almost 2 acres they have access to when free ranging, should I put out more than one owl or will one suffice?

Thanks in advance for any additional information anyone might provide. This is our first flock and we are very attached to them. One last pic of our beloved rooster, Murray.

 

[Mother Bird]

Im so sorry to hear of your loss. I know how heart breaking it is.
I ended up going to a smaller area and using the fishing line which stopped the problem entirely. I lost 3 before I made the dreaded move.
I feel strongly that the owl decoy will be useless, even if you have several. However ...another chicken lover I have met, who had similar issues, found that introducing an emu to the flock stopped the attacks! I'd also considered a goose or Turkey but don't have room. If you have 2 acres though, I encourage you to look into it. Once they know your chickens are there, they will keep coming for them I'm afraid. Good luck and post any success you have in deterrents!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I doubt that your goose would fair any better than this one did against a peregrine falcon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=UkW7r-rgeBQ

Crows hold up better against falcons and hawks than the goose did, but the racket that a flock of crows or ravens causes should cause a chicken person to take immediate action to protect their flock. I have never seen a peregrine falcon strike or take an animal on the ground but I guess it can happen.

However, to be fair to crows and ravens they are almost a hawks or owls equal in the air. Nothing covered in feathers is equal to a peregrine or to any other falcon in the air, as this vid shows. I think that the falcon was just playing with the crows like a cat toys with a mouse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mufshHZoG9g

 

[Nambroth]

A Gyrfalcon is significantly larger than a Peregrine and can take much larger targets.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

A Gyrfalcon is significantly larger than a Peregrine...

Not only is it larger, but I doubt that a Gyrfalcon would winter as far South as Pennsylvania. A peregrine would usually only nest on a cliff face. I think your dealing with a member of the cooper hawk family. There are three hawks in this family. Below is three hawks in this family listed from the smallest to the largest.

1. The sharp shinned or blue darter hawk.

2. The Coopers hawk

3. And the goshawk.

Taken together they make up a group of hawks collectively known as "chicken" hawks. How cute is that?

One way to tell a peregrine falcon from a Coopers hawk is wing shape. A Coopers hawk has wide, broad, and blunt (straight) wings because it often hunts by zig zagging through thick cover. Think of a Coopers hawk like it was a crop duster plane.

A peregrine falcon on the other hand has a more slender body with swept, and sharp pointed wings like those seen on a F16 fighter plane and they can fly @ 33% the speed of sound.
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/peregrine-falcon-speed1.htm

A perigurine beats its wings so fast that they have almost a strobe light effect.

 

[Chickawawa]

Thank you for all the advice. It is greatly appreciated. We have the chicken tractor in our old above ground pool surround now which has high sides and plan to crisscross the top with fishing line. We'll let them out in the surround then free range when we can be out with them.

Are Guineas helpful for alerting to danger from the sky? I'm not crazy about them but would definitely consider them if they were helpful.

 

[Mother Bird]

I know guineas would sound the alarm for a land bound predator, but not sure about one from above. I don't think their size is enough either, after seeing the video with the Canadian Goose being killed by the Falcon. I'm still a fan of the Emu!
As far as fishing line in a larger area...I've thought a little about this. Free ranging is ideal, but the size of the range can pose many problems. I've wondered about the "Maypole" approach. I have my yard surrounded by a six foot fence. Pleanty of room for me, but my husband is taller. So, if you erect one taller pole in the center, with line coming from the top of it to the fence in various places, I think it would give you height clearance and a spider web-ish effect that would deter the falcon or other raptures. I don't know about doing two acres this way...but a 1/4 - 1/2 acre is doable I think. Time consuming, but doable. Plus...fishing line is cheap! Food for thought

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I know guineas would sound the alarm for a land bound predator, but not sure about one from above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XybLPlH5zx8
Warning: Adult language and images disturbing to a chicken lover.
But it will definitely answer all your questions about how well guineas protect chickens from chicken hawks.

 

[Chickawawa]

Mother Bird, we have another 3/4 acre fenced in for dogs and kids that I think we are going to partition off and move the birds there. It's closer to our woods but we can cover it and it would be shadier in the summer. I brought up the Emu to Hubs and the look he gave me was priceless. Not going to happen, plus I find them a bit creepy!

Chickengeorgeto, that video was hard to watch but the pan over to the guineas was priceless!

Thanks again for the help and advice.