Proud Chicken Mama Moment

[Kkakes414]

On this frigid Saturday I have a predator story that ended in pure joy, thanks be to God! I live in a neighborhood setting and have a fenced in yard a lot of tree cover. I had an auto door (which will be deactivated for now) on my run so the girls can roam in the morning we’ve had no issues. My girls are 2 yrs old and the only time we’ve have a predator issue was when a Cooper’s Hawk came by and watched them 2 days after I placed them in the coop at 6 weeks old. This morning while in a dead sleep, I wake to a frantic alarm outside from one of the chickens knowing it isn’t just normal chatter I rush outside and I thought that whatever was outside already had one by the sound of the continued noise. When I walk outside I see my Jersey Giant (Noodle) standing by the coop pretty out in the open is sounding the alarm and if you hadn’t guess already a Cooper’s Hawk takes off. I see the hawk around the neighborhood but never near my property after the initial event 2 years ago and if I did the girls were never out and it was just flying over. I find it funny that in my heavily treed area this is the predator that we deal with. No raccoon, fox, or coyote. A hawk. Anyway it flys off and the Noodle rushes for the run door and I turn the corner by my coop to find Pudding (black australorp) laying down she was just hiding so I picked her and placed her in the run, Marzipan (Wellsummer) who was hunkered in a corner a good 20ft away comes running. Ms. Marshmallow (Delaware) was already in the run pretty sure she never left this morning. All that was left was Mayo (Delaware) I search my backyard and I couldn’t find her anywhere. Looked all the places I thought a chicken could fit. No feathers anywhere, I was like maybe there was another hawk or something else got her. I go back the coop to recount that I didn’t miss her and I turn around to her walking up! I still don’t know where she was hiding she is the ultimate hide and seek champion but I am so thankful they all are unharmed. We will be staying in the run for a bit now.

And in situations like these I see how amazing animals are. Like think about how God created them and instill all the capabilities in them. Like a simple Chicken who warns others and they all hide and don’t move til they know it safe. One puts her neck out there for the others by being more visible. That is amazing, He is such an amazing creator. And even if I would have lost one think of how he designs birds of prey and their capabilities! How GREAT is our God!

 

[Debbie292d]

That is an amazing story! Glad everyone was okay!

I don't know your setup, but they make garden netting or bird netting that's relatively cheap, that perhaps you could put up to keep that hawk(s) from returning. Most of the time they'll come back if they see an opportunity.

 

[Kkakes414]

That is an amazing story! Glad everyone was okay!

I don't know your setup, but they make garden netting or bird netting that's relatively cheap, that perhaps you could put up to keep that hawk(s) from returning. Most of the time they'll come back if they see an opportunity.

Netting will be a little difficult to put up my yard has an odd shape where there would be to much area that can’t be supported. But the girls have a spacious run and I won’t let them out without me for some time.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Glad hens are okay and YES our God is an amazing Creator!

You should know your presence does not guarantee your hens' safety. Hopefully they are too big for this hawk although some hawks will hit to kill, then eat on the spot. Especially with chicks, though, they will divebomb, grab and go, even within just a few feet of a human watcher. I lost at least 3 chicks this way, there was nothing either I or mama hen could have done.

 

[BoundlessLove]

On this frigid Saturday I have a predator story that ended in pure joy, thanks be to God! I live in a neighborhood setting and have a fenced in yard a lot of tree cover. I had an auto door (which will be deactivated for now) on my run so the girls can roam in the morning we’ve had no issues. My girls are 2 yrs old and the only time we’ve have a predator issue was when a Cooper’s Hawk came by and watched them 2 days after I placed them in the coop at 6 weeks old. This morning while in a dead sleep, I wake to a frantic alarm outside from one of the chickens knowing it isn’t just normal chatter I rush outside and I thought that whatever was outside already had one by the sound of the continued noise. When I walk outside I see my Jersey Giant (Noodle) standing by the coop pretty out in the open is sounding the alarm and if you hadn’t guess already a Cooper’s Hawk takes off. I see the hawk around the neighborhood but never near my property after the initial event 2 years ago and if I did the girls were never out and it was just flying over. I find it funny that in my heavily treed area this is the predator that we deal with. No raccoon, fox, or coyote. A hawk. Anyway it flys off and the Noodle rushes for the run door and I turn the corner by my coop to find Pudding (black australorp) laying down she was just hiding so I picked her and placed her in the run, Marzipan (Wellsummer) who was hunkered in a corner a good 20ft away comes running. Ms. Marshmallow (Delaware) was already in the run pretty sure she never left this morning. All that was left was Mayo (Delaware) I search my backyard and I couldn’t find her anywhere. Looked all the places I thought a chicken could fit. No feathers anywhere, I was like maybe there was another hawk or something else got her. I go back the coop to recount that I didn’t miss her and I turn around to her walking up! I still don’t know where she was hiding she is the ultimate hide and seek champion but I am so thankful they all are unharmed. We will be staying in the run for a bit now.

And in situations like these I see how amazing animals are. Like think about how God created them and instill all the capabilities in them. Like a simple Chicken who warns others and they all hide and don’t move til they know it safe. One puts her neck out there for the others by being more visible. That is amazing, He is such an amazing creator. And even if I would have lost one think of how he designs birds of prey and their capabilities! How GREAT is our God!

Wonderful story and thank you for sharing.
Yes, God is Great!

 

[pnw_urban_chix]

Glad everyone is ok. Thanks for sharing this story. One time one of our chickens had a little strip of skin pecked off and dangling from her head that another certain chicken would peck at. We decided that it had to come off, so my dad did surgery with a razor blade and stitched it off. She recovered well and is still living happily today(although with a tiny strip on her head where feathers refuse to grow) and is the absolute cutest boss of the younger chickens in my flock . (She's a Light Brahma named Athena). I remember sitting there feeling like she would die but God's miracles are boundless!

 

[Kkakes414]

Glad hens are okay and YES our God is an amazing Creator!

You should know your presence does not guarantee your hens' safety. Hopefully they are too big for this hawk although some hawks will hit to kill, then eat on the spot. Especially with chicks, though, they will divebomb, grab and go, even within just a few feet of a human watcher. I lost at least 3 chicks this way, there was nothing either I or mama hen could have done.

Yes, I have seen videos of chickens being attacked with people near them. I’m so sorry that happened to you. All my girls are pretty big so idk if it would able to carry them off. I wish my ring camera would have gotten better footage. Cause I’m not sure where it came from but it looks like it took off from the top of my nesting boxes and was just watching them for a 2 minutes as Noodle sounded the alarm because they were on one side of my yard 1 minute then they all ran closer to the coop the next and when I came out and it took off that was went everyone stayed still and hunkered down.

 

[Rillowen]

Glad hens are okay and YES our God is an amazing Creator!

You should know your presence does not guarantee your hens' safety. Hopefully they are too big for this hawk although some hawks will hit to kill, then eat on the spot. Especially with chicks, though, they will divebomb, grab and go, even within just a few feet of a human watcher. I lost at least 3 chicks this way, there was nothing either I or mama hen could have done.

I had one go after my chicks when they were 4 months old, then the roo was a year and didnt have spurs yet, he called a warning call and they all ran to the safest place, which was apparently me! I had been digging in the garden, so i hear the cry and look up to see them all running to me and turn to see a hawk in mid dive trying to go over my head to get them! Instincts took over and I swung with the shovel! I grazed it, it wobbled and flew away fast, I didnt see it again. (Admittedly I heard later a neighbor had a hawk attack his hens and it died.. he has a large LG dog.