Sick to my stomache

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
No, that's not true. You have a protected coop and wanted your birds to range. Mine are ranging right now. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. People one town over lost several chickens to hawks but I've never lost one.

Research hawks and hawk deterrent. Ground cover is essential too. The birds will hide under it.

I'm glad you still have your 7.

 

[QuinnP]

big fat huggles

 

[black_fx_35]

Thanks everyone for your replies....as a first time chicken owner, this has been quite difficult. The 7 girls won't leave the henhouse at all right now, even though the attached run is completely secure with hardware cloth and a roof....and their water and food are in the run, not the henhouse. Is this typical? We just coaxed them out with mealworms, butas soon as they were done eating, back into the henhouse they went. Should we continue trying to get them out of the henhouse?

 

[PurpleChicken]

It may take them a few days to get over the shock. It's normal but they will come back out again.

 

[pbjmaker]

You did'nt do anything wrong at all, it is the circle of life. The hawk was just being a hawk.

That is typical behavior(staying in the coop). Once they are full grown, the hawks shouldn't be a problem. They seem to like those 8 - 10 week old chicks. We have hawks and they have never tried to grab a standard size full grown chicken. They do like to sit and stare at them. I can tell when the hawk has been around because all my chickens are in or under the coop and won't even come to the "treat" call. Last week my serama hen was killed during the late afternoon (that is when I most often see the hawks) My guess is the hawk tried to grab her and even she was too big for him to get off the ground easily - I am SURE she put up a huge fight. A hawk tried to grab her 3 years ago and couldn't pull of the deed then either. I am thinking he got her and then dropped her as she fought him off. Will never know as my gang of 8 week old puppies were the ones who found her body first

 

[QuinnP]

more big hugs & a pat on the back to you just cuz you're you.

 

[black_fx_35]

Thanks everyone. We think they are doing a bit better....came outside the coop with us today, and seemed to be alright. When we put them back in the coop, they went straight to the henhouse. Will continue to watch them over the next few days and hope they start to feel more comfortable (and safe) in the run. Now I will try to identify what type of hawk it was.

 

[desertdarlene]

Oh so sad! I have an idea how you feel. I don't raise chickens, but I do "watch over" wild killdeer and baby ducks and we have a lot of hawks and other predators in the area, including seagulls. I was joyfully monitoring a family of baby killdeer and when I went to check on them one day, I found a seagull with a chick dangling from its mouth. I was so sad! Someone was feeding the birds bread there and attracted the gulls to the area. Luckily, though, I found all the chicks later on and someone told me a story about how the gull stole a bird out of a nest and the parents tried to fight it. I was lucky that time.

I know it's not the same as when they're your own pets, but I felt an attachment to these babies.

 

[geebs]

Keep up the vigil.. It will be back!!!

condolances.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

It would be best to find out just what kind of hawk you are dealing with. Red-tailed hawks will pick off and eat a 5 pound hen without too much trouble, they likely won't carry it off but are known to eat it on the spot or drag the kill a couple feet away under or bush or something similiar. Cooper's hawks, all though I've never seen one, can easily fly inbetween obstacles due to their great agility. Their main prey is small birds, though I've heard they sometimes take on prey bigger than they are. (I've heard these hawks are more likely to hunt on foot than other hawks and can pass obstacles of foot) Here in my neighborhodd on the side of Orlando FL, red-shouldered hawks are most common. Like the cooper's, they are a medium sized hawk which I typically see prey on squirrels and small songbirds. When mine were 7 weeks old, a red-shouldered swooped down on them, probably missing one by inches. Luckily my dog helped out scaring it off, but to get it away from my dogs grip I had to help it out. (It ended up slashing my arm) Now at 28 weeks old, my standard sized hens need not worry about any of the red-shoulders. They fly by often, but don't even glance at my hens.