Predatory bird problems

[jnicholes]

Hello,

So today, I was doing my own stuff in the house, when I heard my chickens, consisting of eight golden sex link hens, freaking out about something.

I went outside to see what was going on, and there was a very large predatory bird perched on the fence near the chicken coop. It was either a hawk or a falcon. The chickens were freaking out and we're all in the coop clucking as if they were in danger.

When I went outside, I went towards the coop, and the hawk or Falcon flew away. The chickens would not come out of the coop.
One of the chickens looks like she has a bunch of feathers missing from her front near her crop. She's behaving normally, but the feathers are missing.

My rabbit, who shares the area with the chickens, is okay. She doesn't have any injuries.

Any ideas on what I can do to prevent predatory birds from getting the chickens?


My chickens will not calm down, they are very upset, and clucking very loud non stop.

Any help will be appreciated,

Jared

 

[Eggcessive]

We live next to woods in the country, and we have red tail hawks around for much of the year. We have pine trees in the yard and bushes they can hide under when the rooster give the warning sound. Do you have a coop and a large covered run? I still let mine out everyday from early morning until dusk. The only birds I have lost were very small birds and a polish who was handicapped by being blind in one eye. How old are your chickens, and do you have bantams? Glad your chicken just had some feather loss. How is she doing?

 

[jnicholes]

Hello,

Haven't been able to do much of a search on the internet, it's very difficult to identify when there are so many birds in Southern Idaho.

Here is a description. It was about one and a half feet long from head to tail, very dark color, very dark brown. Had a beak that curved downward, and when it was flying, the tips of its wings were pointing slightly up. Didn't really flap its wings much, it mainly glided a lot.

Chickens are calmed down now. Stayed with them for a good 10 minutes, and now they're feeling better.

Jared

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If you can't risk the loss, only thing you can do that I know of is keep them in covered runs. Sometimes I have to do this during a certain season only. My predator load changes throughout the year and so does my practice. NO, I don't like locking them in and they aren't usually happy about it... but if it's a life or death situation I TRY to choose life, without guilt that they aren't free ranging.

They will calm down after a bit... it may impact/slow your laying.

Here it is illegal to shoot hawks (and probably falcons), but I got an air rifle to watch out for Crows (who do steal chicks). Learn the 3 S's. Shoot, shovel, shut up!

I like raptors and think they are pretty amazing. But I cannot afford to open a buffet for them. I lost at least 3 chicks this last season at $9 a pop.

I resorted to putting fishing line over my Silkie pen, which saw no more losses afterwards... but I feel that may have been seasonal thing and possibly coincidental. But I'm not taking it down.

I also paid attention... in nature crows harass the hawks, which essentially blows their cover. So I started doing the same thing every time I saw it... making broody screeches, and rooster predator shrills, flapping my arms and acting a basic crazy woman. It worked some, my birds would see it and respond. But such short attention spans chickens have! It came back every day for about 3 weeks or so. Originally on a schedule but started showing up earlier or more random and just watching and waiting. About a week after I started my own harassment the hawk got fed up and started checking out my neighbors places before eventually moving on.

I am considering a scare crow of sorts, that get's moved around every day or so.

Yes... what eggcessive said is so important... LOW hanging cover for the birds to hide and hang out in. My friend doesn't get why his birds won;t hang out in his shaded orchard... the trees are too tall and open to provide a real sense of security. And I even noticed my birds seem to let their guard down when it over cast.

Glad your birds are safe this time!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Falcons usually fly with rapid wing beats. It is almost hypnotic to watch a falcon flying.
The shape of a hawks' and a falcons' wing tips are also totally different, as is the width of their wings.

Furthermore hawks love to launch attacks on chickens from the comfort of tree limbs or other perches. Keep the previous posters words in mind and have really low hanging hidey holds for your hens to bolt to when a hawk starts chasing your hens around your yard or run.

 

[jnicholes]

Hello,

Found out what happened, and it is VERY interesting.

When I went out to see the chickens while the hawk was there, My rabbit, Sophie, was out while the hawk was there. The hawk did not go in to take the rabbit, even though he could have done it easily. He flew off when I got out there.

This may sound crazy, but I think the hawk attacked the chicken, and the rabbit attacked the hawk to defend her chicken friend. The hawk may not have wanted to mess with Sophie.

This isn't the first time, this same rabbit killed a stray cat that went after the chickens, so it wouldn't surprise me if she went after the hawk.

The chickens are fine now, they are all calmed down.

Jared

 

[Birch66724]

Geez! What breed of rabbit do you have?

 

[jnicholes]

Hello,

She is a Netherlands dwarf/Californian mix.

Jared

 

[Folly's place]

I lost a bantam to a hawk about three weeks ago, and she hung around for another several days before moving on. The chickens spent almost two weeks locked in their coop/ covered run, not happily, but alive!
The young raptors are out, and the birds are migrating, so there are more issues every late summer and fall.
Off topic, but today I saw a pileated woodpecker!!! First time ever, amazing!
Mary

 

[Trish1974]

Off topic, but today I saw a pileated woodpecker!!! First time ever, amazing!

Oh how cool! My sister has one that will come up to her suet feeder. The few I have are not that bold.