Someone spotted my girls!

[Folly's place]

My losses to hawks have been bantams, mostly young bantams. Once a broody mama, and one time an adult standard Marans, who had injuries that couldn't be fixed. Also a juvenile red ranger, once. All to Cooper's hawks, although we have others out here.
Covered runs!!!
Raptor losses have been minor, compared to ground predators, who can and do kill multiple birds at once. When we let our birds free range, they are at risk, and losses will occur.
Generally it's a favorite bird too.
Mary

 

[Quackter]

Today in the middle of refreshing the hay in the run, I heard the chickens squawk “what the flock!!!” and turned around to see this guy. He can’t get into the run so it’s okay, but it’s still a little unnerving.

He looks like me, face pressed into the glass, staring longingly into a closed McDonalds.

 

[MattyBowman]

He looks like me, face pressed into the glass, staring longingly into a closed McDonalds.

I feel your pain. So deeply.

 

[Folly's place]

One year a very bold young Coopers hawk would sit on the fence, or on the ground next to the run, just drooling. "come out and play, little girl" Is what he was saying...
It tool three weeks of chickens confined in their run for this bird to give up and move elsewhere. He was nothing if not persistent!
Mary

 

[MattyBowman]

From the shape of the head of it, I was thinking of a Merlin over a hawk.

 

[cmom]

Today in the middle of refreshing the hay in the run, I heard the chickens squawk “what the flock!!!” and turned around to see this guy. He can’t get into the run so it’s okay, but it’s still a little unnerving.

I had a Sharp-shinned hawk kill a pullet a few years ago. It was about 10 feet from me when it came down in our blueberries where we were, which really surprised me. Good luck and have fun...

 

[Mimi13]

I had a Sharp-shinned hawk kill a pullet a few years ago. It was about 10 feet from me when it came down in our blueberries where we were, which really surprised me. Good luck and have fun...

That is very unnerving.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have a coopers hanging around, too. It's good to know what you're dealing with because coopers have a very specific hunting style and require different measures than, say, a red tailed hawk or an owl. They are small, but they will go after larger birds - especially if they are young and inexperienced. Coopers are unbelievable fliers. They don't soar as much, but rather prefer to get as close as they can and pounce. They can fly in, around, through, and under trees and shrubs. And they hunt any time of the day. The one who has been hanging around here likes to show up early in the morning and again at sunset because that's when I'm out in the yard with my flock (they are never unsupervised). They are crafty, icky things. Not to mention beautiful...

I'm like a big rooster out there guarding my little flock. It's ridiculous. But coopers do migrate. I'm excited for winter because this one will be headed to Mexico, hopefully.

And the hawks seem MUCH worse this year....