Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

I have some sort of raptor likes to sit in the frangi~pani @ the side of the house where the girls like to congregate. Not sure if I have a hawk, a goshawk or a falcon. It's pretty small. I can't get a good look @ it as it shoots off as soon as I appear. I'm hoping it's not a falcon or goshawk as they're fast.

I hope so too; I've witnessed such attacks and they're scary.

Is there a modern backyard version of a scarecrow? if your aerial predator leaves when you appear it seems like it might, if realistic enough. I read a paper about big eyes facing the threat direction and - crucially - moving towards the threat, being effective, but it wasn't the sort of thing easily rigged up in the average back garden!

 

[Ribh]

I hope so too; I've witnessed such attacks and they're scary.

Is there a modern backyard version of a scarecrow? if your aerial predator leaves when you appear it seems like it might, if realistic enough. I read a paper about big eyes facing the threat direction and - crucially - moving towards the threat, being effective, but it wasn't the sort of thing easily rigged up in the average back garden!

Yes, I've seen them too. Falcon strikes are incredible. I think my big girls are too much for a falcon but the bantys are probably tempting. And I've seen a hawk strike, kill & exit with prey under a moving car. Incredible!

My girls are doing all the right things so far & they know if they make enough racket I'll appear. I'm more worried about the 2 bantys my neighbour has. They have less cover, more open ground & are nowhere near as savvy as my lot ~ though as I said, I have Campines. They do seem to respond to my girls alarm call & seem to consider themselves part of the tribe ~ which may have something to do with my ruddy Campines who think fences were made for hopping.

 

[Perris]

Must have been really stressful for you, I'm happy everyone made it safe ! Kudos to Maria and Venka especially. It's very likely the fox will be back unfortunately , so I hope they'll be very careful in the next days. What kind of fox deterrent do you use ?

yes, real rollercoaster, starting with disbelief when I couldn't find any of them. No wonder I can't find the hidden nests; these guys are experts And I couldn't help noticing that while the heir apparent was first to show his face again, the dominant roo was last!

Yes we all expect the fox to return. My deterrents are any and everything to clutter up the lawn and near gaps in hedges and borders. Foxes are very suspicious and view novelties with extreme caution. So anything that looks remotely like a trap is avoided, even if set with bait. So I e.g. pull out the steamer chair onto open lawn, stick posts with torn fabric flags into other open areas, and currently, because we had a water leak and the water board have left some bright blue moveable barriers awaiting collection, we have one of them near the coops .

I wonder if the huddling vs scattering has to do with facing a predator from the sky vs one from the ground ?

interesting idea, but they also scatter here when a raptor flies over.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

Wow.
I am dealing with a predator for the 1st time ever but am pleased to say my girls are showing every sign of being really predator savvy ~ thanks mostly to my Campines who are super alert & very skittish. My lead hen is pretty calm but my Wyandotte Frizzle was having hysterics the other morning & all tangled in crab pots with everyone going off like car sirens all around her. I have a mix of standards & bantams & interestingly the bantams will usually run between a standard & cover of some sort so they have the most protection possible. The big girls have to take a greater risk crossing open ground.

@Ribh - do you have any idea what you’re dealing with? Something on the ground or in the air?

 

[Ribh]

@Ribh - do you have any idea what you’re dealing with? Something on the ground or in the air?

In the air. I just haven't been able to identify it yet.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello @One Lucky Momma Thank you for your kind words.
Posting from me is going to get a bit random for the next week or so.
I'll still be doing the chickens but I doubt I'll be coming home afterwards for a bit so basically when I do get home all I'll want to do is fall over and sleep.
I may get a few post done during the day.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

I hope the hens didn't get attacked.

Oh no! I have a cover black plastic with holes in it over the top!

I did notice that the chickens were not out and about.

I tried to get a picture of the hawk with no luck.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

It really looks like a lot of us are having predator problems.

Have a great day!

 

[Ladies-Eight]

@One Lucky Momma welcome aboard.

 

[Perris]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

It really looks like a lot of us are having predator problems.

Have a great day!

yes; the predators have families to raise too!