Well, it finally happened...I lost my first chicken to a hawk. I'm thinking it's a Cooper's, but gonna research that out a bit more. I walked out the back to feed them, and he was just sitting there having one of my Lavender Orp's for lunch on the ground by the coop.The penned up birds were screaming like a woman, and the others were hiding in the bushes, scared to death. It was truly horrible. We penned everyone up for the rest of the night and chased him off.
This morning I decided not to risk it, and only let them all out in the covered closed runs, Thank God. Within 15 minutes he was back, and literally stalking my chickens on the ground, around the run. He kept running back and forth, back and forth. The birds were all huddled in the furthest corner, terrified. My husband has been chasing him off all morning, and he keeps coming back, right to the run door. Is this type of behavior normal for even a hawk, and what the heck should I do? I know I'm not supposed to shoot them, but I really think I might break the law on this one!
Any advice is welcome.
This morning I decided not to risk it, and only let them all out in the covered closed runs, Thank God. Within 15 minutes he was back, and literally stalking my chickens on the ground, around the run. He kept running back and forth, back and forth. The birds were all huddled in the furthest corner, terrified. My husband has been chasing him off all morning, and he keeps coming back, right to the run door. Is this type of behavior normal for even a hawk, and what the heck should I do? I know I'm not supposed to shoot them, but I really think I might break the law on this one!
Any advice is welcome.