The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Glad you found her. Even a small hawk can kill a fully grown chicken. It won't be able to carry it off, but if it's desperate enough, it will eat it right on the ground. I've had it happen twice.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Her exact words were that we can't tie it up because it attacks us.

And they still choose to keep it?

That is just insane.

 

[junebuggena]

Naked chickie taking a bath
Eta: he's six weeks old why is he not feathering out?

If you have several chicks, he may not be getting enough feed. Try adding another feeder. Also, you may be keeping him too warm.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

13 of mine hatched. Unfortunately, both assisted hatches didn't make it. another hatched with an unabsorbed yolk and didn't make it. A fourth was suffocated last night when they all piled on top of her. So right now I have 9 healthy babies.
That's the most I've ever lost in a batch. I think I saved the eggs too long before setting. Lesson learned. Unfortunately, the hard way :'(

 

[ShrekDawg]

Her exact words were that we can't tie it up because it attacks us.

Wow that is so ridiculous!!!! I hate to say it because I love dogs but I would probably put the dog down or give to someone who knows what they are doing and can work on training/rehabbing it. Cause being tied up has to be part of the problem and maybe it could be trained and fixed but some dogs are just aggressive. But clearly they are not responsible enough to keep that dog. Or any dog. I would actually feel bad for any other animals they have.

I love animals but if the dog attacks you... Retire that dog!!!!

Agreed. I love animals too but I'd put it down. Or I might try working with it or rehoming it to someone who can becausesome dogs can be helped and rehabbed but if that didn't work I would have them put it down. It's sad but clearly necessary. They can't handle the dog.

And they still choose to keep it?   That is just insane.

Incredibly insane.

Glad you found her.  Even a small hawk can kill a fully grown chicken.  It won't be able to carry it off, but if it's desperate enough, it will eat it right on the ground.  I've had it happen twice.

Thank you! I'm glad we found her too, mom said she came barreling out of the woods straight towards her lol but then of course being a chicken she stopped a few feet away and decided I'm scared but not that scared and wouldn't come closer so my mom went inside the run and held the door opem, shoving the others away, and she came around the pen and inside. She also claims the other chickens were "so excited" and "waiting for the one dummy to come home" which could be true, I don't know, but they always cause a ruckus when one is out cause they wanna be too. But she was definitely scared. As for the hawk, this thing was huge I think. Though I will look out for smaller ones too. But this was perched a little ways back from the coop, not directly over the yard, and it flew away but not immediately. It did it a couple trees at a time, stopping again, then finally took off..... didn't wanna miss a meal i guess ha but it was so agile, tilting sideways to not hit trees, and whatnot. But I am glad it's gone. Cause unfortunately I actually think hawks are really beautiful, graceful creatures and I used to love having them around. But not anymore. Especially since I don't know if you saw but we found a huge puff of orange feathers too. The one missing was a barred rock but clearly it tried to go after another chicken. This one was hiding under some pine trees/next to a huge fallen pine branch at the edge of the yard just absolutely terrified. She was hunched down on the ground and just looked at me and let me go and pick her up and put her back. She's the one that was attacked I think but now I can't tell them apart. But then one EE came out of nowhere from the back yard and eventually got her coralled in. Then we found the other 5 in bushes in the front yard. Even my other EE who is normally skittish/flighty let me carry her home. She tried to run but there really wasn't anywhere to go and when I grabbed her she fought for a few seconds but I was talking too her and brought her home. Normally she would have been flapping hard to get away and she did run when i put her down but the poor things must have been absolutely traumatized and GLAD to see me and go home lol poor things

 

[ShrekDawg]

I checked them as best I could from outside then went in and grabbed the Orps and checked under their wings then flipped them on their backs which I think is cruel cause they can't breath? Or is that only upside down hanging by the legs? Mine were like a baby. But I didn't do it for long, just enough to check their stomach and look for missing feathers or wounds. I can not even tell which chicken lost all the feathers but I suppose that is a good thing. Tried to flip an Australorp, she fought for a sec but was okay but tried to fight. May the BR I couldn't even look cause she fought and got away. Oh well. She looked fine too. Glad they are all fine.

And....

We got 4 eggs today!!!!

I thought for sure they would be stressed out after the hawk attack and not lay but they laid! Although 2 have stopped since we were getting 6 eggs a say but hopefully they lay their eggs later today.

I think they were more stressed out by me checking them out than they were by the **** hawk!!! Some even wanted to go out! Not as "mob the door!!!" As usual but still. Of course I did not let them out.

 

[ronott1]

I checked them as best I could from outside then went in and grabbed the Orps and checked under their wings then flipped them on their backs which I think is cruel cause they can't breath? Or is that only upside down hanging by the legs? Mine were like a baby. But I didn't do it for long, just enough to check their stomach and look for missing feathers or wounds. I can not even tell which chicken lost all the feathers but I suppose that is a good thing. Tried to flip an Australorp, she fought for a sec but was okay but tried to fight. May the BR I couldn't even look cause she fought and got away. Oh well. She looked fine too. Glad they are all fine.

And....

We got 4 eggs today!!!!

I thought for sure they would be stressed out after the hawk attack and not lay but they laid! Although 2 have stopped since we were getting 6 eggs a say but hopefully they lay their eggs later today.

I think they were more stressed out by me checking them out than they were by the **** hawk!!! Some even wanted to go out! Not as "mob the door!!!" As usual but still. Of course I did not let them out.

They may still lay less eggs today through the weekend. The eggs today were already in the process of being laid.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They may still lay less eggs today through the weekend. The eggs today were already in the process of being laid.

That makes sense! I never thought of it like that! They all seem okay and are scratching around in the pen like usual but I know it had to be stressful!

 

[Hammie919]

@junebuggena he seems like he's been eating fine I even checked his crop to see and it was nice and full. I also don't think he's been too warm he's outside where it's about 70 during the day and in the 50s at night. The rest of them seem to have no problem keeping themselves warm so I'm guessing is a genetic thing. Everyone else including the other Roos of other breeds have at least got most of the feathers on their back if not fully feathered.
If he gets too cold again I guess I'll have to bring him in and give him some warm water to sit in, dry him off and stick him back with his buddies. It seemed like once he warmed up he just wanted to get back to them.
Poor naked birdy looks like a dinosaur when he stands.

 

[mlm Mike]

13 of mine hatched. Unfortunately, both assisted hatches didn't make it. another hatched with an unabsorbed yolk and didn't make it. A fourth was suffocated last night when they all piled on top of her. So right now I have 9 healthy babies.
That's the most I've ever lost in a batch. I think I saved the eggs too long before setting. Lesson learned. Unfortunately, the hard way :'(

Thank You! Sorry you lost a few.