Red tailed hawk killed my chicken

[dolphinlvr4]

Today I found a tiny tiny finch enjoying some scratch grains ( its the only bird small enuff to get thru the wire) and my girls chased it off quick fast n in a hurry. It was kinda funny! Are chickens territorial? I've researched it but cant get a solid answer

 

[NJchixs]

So sorry for all of you who have lost. I lost my sweet Bl Wh Ameraucana Sandy today. Went outside to see why they girls went to the side lawn and saw a big red tailed on the ground. It flew off and with what's left I saw it was her. She jut started laying last week. We made all summer and fall without a problem. Now I have to rethink. I just happen to have the dog inside with me this morning, don't know if that made a difference.

 

[ChickTracy]

Awesome! Can't wait to see it when it's finished.

 

[ChickTracy]

So sorry for all of you who have lost. I lost my sweet Bl Wh Ameraucana Sandy today. Went outside to see why they girls went to the side lawn and saw a big red tailed on the ground. It flew off and with what's left I saw it was her. She jut started laying last week.

We made all summer and fall without a problem. Now I have to rethink. I just happen to have the dog inside with me this morning, don't know if that made a difference.

So sorry to hear that.

Having the dog inside could've made a difference. Does the dog leave the chickens alone? If so, then I bet it does deter the hawk. I'm sure it would at least think twice before swooping down after a chicken when there is a dog down there near them. I just hate that. Sorry.

 

[NJchixs]

So sorry to hear that.

Having the dog inside could've made a difference. Does the dog leave the chickens alone? If so, then I bet it does deter the hawk. I'm sure it would at least think twice before swooping down after a chicken when there is a dog down there near them. I just hate that. Sorry.

Yes he's good with them. Tries to play and sometimes a love nibble when they squat for him, but just walks around with them. He's the one in my avatar, and a 100lb Akita. I've let him around the chickens since they where day olds. They even tolerate him eating their food and visiting the coop. The girls are locked up now and ******. The crows in the woods are making a commotion, so I'm sure that hawk is around still. My husband said the same thing, he needs to be out when they are.

 

[flyinhigh]

I lost my favorite hen yesterday as well to a hawk...I will be adding a guinea hen to our flock this spring to help "alert" the roosters and will be putting up owl statues. Today I played the radio in the garage in hopes that voices would keep it at bay. We didn't have a return visit but we will see.

I am so sorry that happened to you. It also happened to me! But something alerted the hens because they all ran for the coop and I found one dead hen just barely inside at the top of their ladder/ramp. I guess she had a heart attack just as she got to safety...that part made me really sad because she was so close. I guess she was terrified and the last one into the ooh.

 

[Nambroth]

Today I found a tiny tiny finch enjoying some scratch grains ( its the only bird small enuff to get thru the wire) and my girls chased it off quick fast n in a hurry. It was kinda funny! Are chickens territorial? I've researched it but cant get a solid answer

Yes, but they might also have been looking for a snack. Chickens can and will kill small birds, mice, etc... to eat.

 

[ChickTracy]

Yes he's good with them. Tries to play and sometimes a love nibble when they squat for him, but just walks around with them. He's the one in my avatar, and a 100lb Akita. I've let him around the chickens since they where day olds. They even tolerate him eating their food and visiting the coop. The girls are locked up now and ******. The crows in the woods are making a commotion, so I'm sure that hawk is around still. My husband said the same thing, he needs to be out when they are.

That's great that he gets along that well with the chickens! I'm sure that hawk is afraid of him...I would be if I was a hawk.

I'd say that hawk was still around looking for another meal. It's good that the girls have a "body guard!"

 

[aldarita]

It is sad that the chickens can't enjoy themselves because of the predators. I hope you find the owners of the dogs. They shouldn't be running loose like that anyway. We are thinking about a covered, fenced in area for the chickens also.

We had a neighbor's dog terrorizing our pullets. They were so scared they did not want to come out of the coop for three days. They were fenced in their run so the dog could not do anything but bark at them, nevertheless they got very scared. Since then we built a fence around the coop-run area so any dog or coyote cannot even come close. Fortunatelly the neighbor moved and so did the dog.

 

[dolphinlvr4]

I have a lg German Shepard and a poodle, every single morning they bark at the hens as if it's the first time they've seen them. Now the hens could care less, I think my dogs are a lil "slow" so it's a bit funny that they get no reaction from the hens. Lol