Red and Goldie fight back

[scooter147]

I have a smaller hawk (not sure what it is) that has been around for a couple years now (at least I think it is the same one) and always goes after the sparrows and starlings that hang around the coop.
The chickens are free ranging now and yesterday I saw this hawk go after the starlings in front of the coop and of course it scares

the holy cows out of the chickens.
This hawk managed to get a starling and Red my R.I.R. and Goldie my B.O. apparebtly had enough of having the stuffing scared out of them so they united and went after this hawk. I heard the starling screaming and I think this triggered something in the hens to be protective. This poor hawk didn't know what to do with these two mean bitties coming after it in full ticked off mode. He left with his meal.
You go girls!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jenlyn9483]

Wow brave chickies, I have seen alot of big hawks around my chicken pen lately. Makes me very nervous since the run is top less. I only have Large standard sized chickens in there so im just hoping they dong get got.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Sounds like a coopers hawk to me. My roo will go after hawks to

 

[scooter147]

I suspected a coopers, I know it is not a red tail. I never get a really good look at it. It swoops in on the wild birds and then takes off. He has been around quite sometime know. I feed the cardinals, doves, finches, chick-a-dees (although the sparrows and starlings get most of it) in winter and he is always after them as well. He can take all the sparrows and starlings he wants.

I watch my chickens from the windows a lot and they always seem to see this guy coming they never seem to be taken completely by surprise like they are on the rare red tail attack. They always take off for the hedge row or coop several seconds before this hawk appears over the top of the house, he always comes from the same direction. They are not competely afraid of him as they are of red tails. With red tails it is complete panic

with chickens running, flying, screamings and diving for the nearest cover not taking the time to run to the hedge row like they do with this other hawk.

 

[AngieChick]

At our old house we had a Cooper's Hawk that loved hanging by the bird feeders and picking off the little pine siskins, one a day. Watching him navigate through the dense apple tree branches at very high speeds was extraordinary. Good for him for going after invasive starlings! Maybe your girls should take a hint and start scaring those away and not just the hawk

? The only thing my sillies chase off is a pretty little harmless stellar's jay that visits the bird bath. You have some very brave scary little chickens!

 

[Attack Chicken]

When ever the coopers hawk flies by here Kernal (the roo) lets out a scream then chased after him. Everytime he screams we say the cooper is here. Never went after the chickens or anything. But a banty is a different case probably