Over the past 7 or 8 years I've been raising chickens, this has never happened, so I thought I'd share in hopes that it may help someone else make better decisions when predator proofing their coop and run. My set up hasn't changed a bit since we built the chicken coop, and we've never had a problem with it until today. I went out to check my Silkie pens, and while I was in the middle of my routine, the ladies in my layer coop started raising a raucous. I figured someone had just laid an egg and was proud of themselves for it, so I didn't give it much thought.....until about 15 minutes later when they still hadn't put a lid on it. So, I went back to check on them, and saw the biggest hawk I've ever seen fly out of the run. I feed our local crow population a little cracked corn every now and then for the services they provide us, namely security against the hawks around here. Well, they seriously slacked while on duty today (or maybe they were so terrified by this mutant sized hawk that they didn't chase it off, they were in the woodline cawing their stupid little heads off right along with the chickens). My run is very large and an irregular shape, so it isn't covered, and I have no idea how to cover it. I put some fishing line over the top at one point, and it caused more problems for the chickens than it did for the hawks. Anyway, my poor Sterling had sort of taken over the role of the rooster since I just recently got rid of our mature Cochin boy. She'd just recently kicked off a batch of chicks she'd been raising, and had been having a good old time keeping the pullets in line and embarrassing the up and coming boys when they would try to establish their dominance...over anyone. She was quite the character, that's for sure, and I'm going to miss her dearly. I'm guessing her new found role as flock protector is what ultimately lead to her death today. From my mediocre crime scene investigation skills, I think I've deduced that she put up a pretty good fight before she gave up the ghost. Her beautiful feathers were strung all over the run, and unfortunately, inside the coop as well. My Leghorn and Speckled Sussex are missing feathers from their tails and one of my chicks has a pretty good sized wound on its back, so I'm guessing the hawk started with them, and ended with poor Sterling when she came to their rescue. I found quite a few hawk feathers mixed amongst hers, so I hope she got a few good licks in before she went down (Sterling had an impressive set of spurs, which she had no problems using just like a rooster). So, now I have a feeling this hawk will come back and pick my poor girls off one at a time in what is supposed to be their secure run. I feel like I've failed them all, its pretty discouraging to say the least. So, this post is for you Miss Sterling, in hopes that it will help other BYC members when they are deciding how to build their runs or recognizing a hawk attack.
This is Sterling sometime last year, after she finished her moult and was looking gorgeous again.
If you look closely, you'll notice one of those spurs I was talking about.
This is what she looked like after the hawk had reduced her into a pile of feathers and meat, this picture shows her spurs a little better.
What really gets me, is the hawk hardly ate anything. Looking at the corpse, you'd think I had scared him off his meal. But, when I walked back he was just hanging out beside the fence like he was allowing his stomach to settle or something, nowhere near the mess he had created. She was killed right in front of the coop door, which was where everyone else ran to hide. I can't imagine what it must have been like for them to sit in there terrified watching one of their flock mates get eaten :/ Rest in Peace Sterling, you were a good girl.
This is Sterling sometime last year, after she finished her moult and was looking gorgeous again.
If you look closely, you'll notice one of those spurs I was talking about.
This is what she looked like after the hawk had reduced her into a pile of feathers and meat, this picture shows her spurs a little better.
What really gets me, is the hawk hardly ate anything. Looking at the corpse, you'd think I had scared him off his meal. But, when I walked back he was just hanging out beside the fence like he was allowing his stomach to settle or something, nowhere near the mess he had created. She was killed right in front of the coop door, which was where everyone else ran to hide. I can't imagine what it must have been like for them to sit in there terrified watching one of their flock mates get eaten :/ Rest in Peace Sterling, you were a good girl.
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