Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Scrambles55]

The hawk that was on the coop was bluish in color, so I googled it and I am sure that is was a Coopers Hawk. It is not a large hawk, but can kill and eat a chicken. The girls are giving me a piece of their mind right now. Squawking and yelling at me to let them out. I am too tired to right now. We just got home and I am falling asleep. Maybe at 6 pm.

 

[Scrambles55]

and a Rump. THREE!!!! Nugget's eggs are progressively larger. Today was 56grams. Just 2 grams smaller than Smoke's usual egg. Jemma laid a small thin shelled egg on the steps in the coop.


Anyone out there know about Cooper Hawks??

 

[Scrambles55]

@mortie .... Was the hawk in your yard a Coopers Hawk??

 

[evemfoster]

and a Rump. THREE!!!! Nugget's eggs are progressively larger. Today was 56grams. Just 2 grams smaller than Smoke's usual egg. Jemma laid a small thin shelled egg on the steps in the coop.


Anyone out there know about Cooper Hawks??

Cooper Hawk: Crow sized 16", Relatively short rounded wings; very long tail.




Feeding: During breeding season has regular feeding routs where it hunts for common medium-sized birds such as Mourning Doves, Jays and Starlings. Its likely that only chicks or smaller chickens would be targeted by a Coopers Hawk.

 

[Scrambles55]

Cooper Hawk: Crow sized 16", Relatively short rounded wings; very long tail.




Feeding: During breeding season has regular feeding routs where it hunts for common medium-sized birds such as Mourning Doves, Jays and Starlings. Its likely that only chicks or smaller chickens would be targeted by a Coopers Hawk.

That is the hawk that was on the coop. It has not made a meal of my girls, but there are plenty of chickens in the area. I will keep the girls in the run for now. Hopefully it will move on. I think that putting up the game cam is also in order.

 

[Scrambles55]

Time for supervised free range.
And watermelon pie!!

 

[Scrambles55]

Minnie Pearl

 

[Scrambles55]

Fluffy butt.

aka: Jemma

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Scrambles, I had a Cooper's Hawk lurking on the fence checking out the layer flock last year. Guess it decided the girls were too big, because it flew off. Or maybe it was the fact the my son's cockatiel, who has a window view of the chicken yard, was shrieking his head off when he saw that hawk. I never saw the hawk return, but I was worried for a few weeks. Hawks are definitely more present in the neighborhood during mating season, and I worry more during migration time too. Hopefully yours will move on.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

So, with the 3 cockerels that hatched this spring, plus papa rooster, it has gotten way too noisy around here, even though they are the smallest of the small chickens. I decided to try to sell a couple of the boys and put an add on craigslist. No interest yet. Took the most vocal of the two down to the feed store for them to sell, but alas, all cages were full. We had him in a little cat carrier and were about to leave when a man with two kids in tow asked if he was for sale. YES!!! He bought him right on the spot. Hurrah! I only asked $5, so he was pretty happy. Saw them as we were leaving and the little boy was holding the cockerel and petting him. So sweet and such a relief to know that he's got a good home.

This is Cluck Norris, who has gone to a new home. So relieved!

Houdini is still for sale, but if it quiets down enough, we might keep him.



I'm excited. On Saturday, I am driving to Sacramento to pick up three 8wk old pullets from Papa Brooder -one jubilee Orpington, a project red Orpington(or maybe red-jubilee?), and a Rhodebar. Hoping they will start laying by January, so that will up our egg count significantly. Right now still only getting one egg from 9 layers. There is a pool of feathers under the roosts, and although the broodies have given up the quest, they have not yet started laying again. If I had understood how steep the drop off in laying was going to be with the hatchery birds, I would have started with fewer and added more in one year intervals. Don't mind if the breeder's birds lay fewer per week as long as they keep going past 2 yrs.