My first brood 2 months ago we lost a 4 week old chick to a hawk.
I have 2 broods now with 6 chicks in each. Last week that darn hawk fly over and tried to get one while they were being feed their dinner. My hubby was standing there feeding them and the whole flock just scattered. All we saw was the shadow of the hawks wings on the ground.
Today we heard a very load chicken alarm. We ran to the front yard to find the flock hiding and running. We started a head count.
Found 5- 4 week old chicks but no momma, and one chick gone.
My hubby, son and I took a 45 min. sweep around the property to see if we could find them. The momma is 6 pounds. The whole time the rest of the flock stood at full alert at the top of our garden path. Which was strange to me because they were standing out in the open sounding off.
The 5 chicks peeping all the time for the momma. And me standing there not knowing how they would get on without their mom.
My son, hubby and I figured that the hawk had come back. So we ended our search. Not understanding how a hawk could carry off a 6 pound chicken and a 4 week old chick at the same time.
As I was walking into my home the flock started alarm again, but still standing at the end of our garden path they had not moved at all for ten min.
I quickly walked over to see what was up. When I got to them they did not move and stopped sounding off, all of them except a alarm call from the momma brooder. She was some where down the path, I could hear her.
I slowly walked down trying to find the direction she was sounding off from. She stopped and as soon as she stopped the flock would start again..then stop leaving her sounding only.
I found her deep in the blackberry bushes, wings spread wide open and snagged with prickles wrapped around the wings. She could not move.
Got her out with no wounds and returned her to her 5 chicks. We did loose the one 4 week old RR Cockerel to the hawk.
It kind of seemed like the flock was helping me find her.
Is there something I can do other then pen my flock up to keep them safe till they grow to a hawk uncarryable size?
We do have crows that come around some times. Someone told me that hawk will not come were crows are.
Momma and 5 babys doing fine. But I don't want to loose anymore.
I have 2 broods now with 6 chicks in each. Last week that darn hawk fly over and tried to get one while they were being feed their dinner. My hubby was standing there feeding them and the whole flock just scattered. All we saw was the shadow of the hawks wings on the ground.
Today we heard a very load chicken alarm. We ran to the front yard to find the flock hiding and running. We started a head count.
Found 5- 4 week old chicks but no momma, and one chick gone.
My hubby, son and I took a 45 min. sweep around the property to see if we could find them. The momma is 6 pounds. The whole time the rest of the flock stood at full alert at the top of our garden path. Which was strange to me because they were standing out in the open sounding off.
The 5 chicks peeping all the time for the momma. And me standing there not knowing how they would get on without their mom.
My son, hubby and I figured that the hawk had come back. So we ended our search. Not understanding how a hawk could carry off a 6 pound chicken and a 4 week old chick at the same time.
As I was walking into my home the flock started alarm again, but still standing at the end of our garden path they had not moved at all for ten min.
I quickly walked over to see what was up. When I got to them they did not move and stopped sounding off, all of them except a alarm call from the momma brooder. She was some where down the path, I could hear her.
I slowly walked down trying to find the direction she was sounding off from. She stopped and as soon as she stopped the flock would start again..then stop leaving her sounding only.
I found her deep in the blackberry bushes, wings spread wide open and snagged with prickles wrapped around the wings. She could not move.
Got her out with no wounds and returned her to her 5 chicks. We did loose the one 4 week old RR Cockerel to the hawk.
It kind of seemed like the flock was helping me find her.
Is there something I can do other then pen my flock up to keep them safe till they grow to a hawk uncarryable size?
We do have crows that come around some times. Someone told me that hawk will not come were crows are.
Momma and 5 babys doing fine. But I don't want to loose anymore.
