Predator behaviors

[Chick Inn Mamma]

Hello. I live in Washington State. I started my addiction to chickens about 3 years ago. My landlord had chickens and they would come down to my place and would hang out with me when I was working outside. "Field Trips" and "Grub Hunting" became a regular with us and learning their behaviors and becoming very interested in having my own. My first generation were 16 straight run broilers - I had a lot to learn! Out of 16, there were 6 Roosters.. ugh.. Two years later I had 50 plus chickens, pullets. They are about 6 months old now and have integrated with the other chickens. I built chicken houses with automatic doors and they are closed up at night. I let them free range during the day as I was still building their yard.

The coyotes are every where here. We see them everyday. I have found them in my yard - I would start screaming at them and they would run off. I have lost 2 this last week from coyotes. My neighbor was able to save the 3rd one.

But I noticed one of my chicken's missing. I found his head and a couple feathers. It was located in the fenced area of their enclosure, so I am guessing it is a falcon, hawk, or owl, maybe even eagle. There is a row of cottonwood trees behind their enclosure and I have seen owls and hawks mostly. There are some really large eagles so that is a possibility. The falcons are crazy too. They are very fast and very brave and have taken my neighbor's chickens while he was standing there.

I am guessing it was an owl or hawk. What do you all think? Picture is of my first coop I built and my 1st generation of chicks.

 

[BantyChooks]

Typically with hawk kills I notice a large portion of the body left over. Hopefully someone else will chime in with more ideas.
Welcome to BYC and I’m sorry for the loss of your birds.

 

[Chick Inn Mamma]

Typically with hawk kills I notice a large portion of the body left over. Hopefully someone else will chime in with more ideas.
Welcome to BYC and I’m sorry for the loss of your birds.

Thanks. It so sad to lose them, but what is even sadder is how traumatized the whole flock is. Since then I have completely enclosed their yard. I am also putting up more little structures that they can get under if something flies over.

 

[Jenbirdee]

oh no Im sorry for your losses ! I dont know enough about predators to 'chime in' but I would like to welcome you to BYC. Glad you joined!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!!

I'm so sorry for your losses and the fight with wild animals. We free range but we would build a Fort Knox of a covered run with poultry netting for them if we had your issues. Our dogs keep the coyotes, fox, raccoons, etc. away. I hope you don't lose any more chickens.

 

[Chick Inn Mamma]

oh no Im sorry for your losses ! I dont know enough about predators to 'chime in' but I would like to welcome you to BYC. Glad you joined!

Thank you!

 

[Jenbirdee]

Thanks. It so sad to lose them, but what is even sadder is how traumatized the whole flock is. Since then I have completely enclosed their yard. I am also putting up more little structures that they can get under if something flies over.

I have a 3000 sq foot area for 12 ducks and 2 chickens (geese live seperate) with so many things to hide under, a hen only need run 3 feet and she is hidden. I have little tables and chairs and childrens playhouses and slides and umbrellas and bushes and small trees and logs and wagons its an obstacle course for sure. But I think it works we see lots of hawks in the sky every day and have not been attacked. I think they look down and think "heck no"

 

[Chick Inn Mamma]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!!

I'm so sorry for your losses and the fight with wild animals. We free range but we would build a Fort Knox of a covered run with poultry netting for them if we had your issues. Our dogs keep the coyotes, fox, raccoons, etc. away. I hope you don't lose any more chickens.

Thank you. I do have the netting but haven't had a chance to put it up. I just moved to this property and moved my coop in but otherwise am starting from scratch.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to the BYC community. Sadly the fact is that many predators like chicken and will continue to return once they have killed.

 

[Chick Inn Mamma]

I have a 3000 sq foot area for 12 ducks and 2 chickens (geese live seperate) with so many things to hide under, a hen only need run 3 feet and she is hidden. I have little tables and chairs and childrens playhouses and slides and umbrellas and bushes and small trees and logs and wagons its an obstacle course for sure. But I think it works we see lots of hawks in the sky every day and have not been attacked. I think they look down and think "heck no"

I really think those little structures help. I have taken large branches from fir trees and built t-p structures and they can hang out under and the last place I lived had a wide open space. They hung out under that shelter a lot.