The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Grr, someone on my channel asked if I'd had an "unusual mortality rate" and suggested getting the Dept of Ag involved. Unusual? Yes, in that most seem to hang on FOREVER! Geez. No, and 8 yr old and an 11 yr old hen died. That's it recently. And I said I would NEVER get the state involved in my barnyard. They serve big agri-biz. They are here to protect commercial flocks from us, not help us help our flocks. No way will I ever contact this state about anything to do with my chickens, period. Why do they always want you to get the government involved when one blasted chicken dies? Sheesh. That really irks me.

Roosters die all the time from heart issues, predator attacks, stress, etc. I have such a knee-jerk reaction to that suggestion. Gosh. If I was sure there was something contagious running through the flock, the LAST entity I've contact would be the state! I'd take care of it myself. My flock doesn't affect anything except themselves as long as I don't allow them to leave my property.

I wouldn't get them involved either. For a single unwell bird? Weird that it was even suggested. Maybe if you had some rampant disease killing every bird, but one bird? They obviously know nothing of poultry.

I was coming to report I saw nothing on the game cameras but goats, my husband's belly, and a hawk coming in to feed on the carcasses. Than we found my oldest buff Orpington rooster dead behind the pines. He's missing his head and is fed on just the same. So we have concluded it must be that hawk or back to my original thought of an owl.

Birds are taking more to cover today, as they should. I really liked that old boy. I will miss him.

 

[speckledhen]

I was coming to report I saw nothing on the game cameras but goats, my husband's belly, and a hawk coming in to feed on the carcasses. Than we found my oldest buff Orpington rooster dead behind the pines. He's missing his head and is fed on just the same. So we have concluded it must be that hawk or back to my original thought of an owl.

Birds are taking more to cover today, as they should. I really liked that old boy. I will miss him.

Oh, geez, Lisa, I'm so sorry! I hate losing my good boys. I love my roosters. Owl sounds feasible.

The suggestion to bring in the gov't a bit much. I mean, you know my flocks, how they live to ripe old age with joint issues from that and how much I gripe that they just won't leave, jokingly, but not really joking so much. I would much rather an old bird went than this sweet, darling rooster.

 

[getaclue]

oldhens, SSS time....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

oldhens, SSS time....

We will see....

 

[Leahs Mom]

I must have misunderstood that you said the attack was at night? It wouldn't have been a hawk at night, right? Owl makes better sense.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@speckledhen




I did know someone that had a rooster decline suddenly like that. It turns out that the neighbor had an exterminator at their house and somehow he was exposed. Only one in their flock that had a problem with it. She thinks he may have gone over to their property and picked up something.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I must have misunderstood that you said the attack was at night? It wouldn't have been a hawk at night, right? Owl makes better sense.

We don't know exactly when it happened, so owls are on the list of suspects as well. I had thought it must have been dark out in order for something to kill both turkey hens. I would guess in daylight one would have made it back to the shed, but everything is just speculation on our part. Hopefully this doesn't continue to be a problem.

 

[getaclue]

There is NO WAY I could raise birds here without covered runs. I see at least 2 red tail hawks a day, plus several fish hawks, then there are a few owls. Yes, they all come out in the daytime too. I had one hawk that was coming and landing in one of the closest palm trees by the house. I have redbirds, bluebirds (not bluejays), and a nice assortment of songbirds, along with some wild rabbits. The second day the hawk landed in the palm tree, I grabbed one of the kid's Nerf guns, and fired a few of the soft projectiles in it's direction. It hasn't been back.

I have 2 older indoor cats. They're full sized cats, and don't go outside, other than the back screened in porch area. When the hurricane hit, it ripped up a couple of our screens. Most were just gashes, but there was one screen that it ripped out a pretty good sized section. Every so often, I'd have to open the door, and shoo a bird out, or catch it in one of my nets, and help it outside. My cat was laying outside, and an owl came into the screened in area. It stood there looking at my cat laying nearby. Normally birds of prey won't go into an area they don't think they can escape from. I headed to the garage to get the welder's gloves, then back to the porch to get a net. When I went to get the net, the owl flew out. The same owl returned the next day when my cat went out. I waved my arms, and yelled at it, running towards it. It flew off, and didn't return. That thing was clearly after my cat.

My poor cat had no idea a bird would ever hurt it, or that it should hurt a bird. She plays mother to any chicks I hatch, or guardian to any sick birds I put into the big infirmary cage on the back porch.

There have been warnings here on the news this year about the hawks being more aggressive than normal. The number of Sandhill Cranes being attacked is way up. The number of small dogs, and cats being attacked are way up. Even medium sized dogs, that are normally immune due to their size, are being attacked.

I already knew they were going after Sandhill Cranes. We have a family of 4 here. Dad, Mom, and 2 babies. They roam through our property, and at least 3 of the adjoining properties. Usually they come through here around 10:00 am. One tried attacking them, and the dad was able to protect them, but one of the babies got lost from it's family during the melee. One of the neighbors brought me the bird. I have chickens, so I must know about taking care of all kinds of birds, right? Anyway, I learned what to do, and took care of it for the day. I was getting things set up for it to get through the night. I knew the parents would come through the next morning, so it was just for the night. Dh was out in the garden, when he heard them on the other side of our fence. He hollered at me, and I grabbed the baby. Um, maybe not the smartest thing to run up to parent Sandhills, with their baby fussing. They're a big bird, and can put a hurting on you. I had Dh cover my back, in case I needed help fending them off. Baby sounded off, and they replied. I set baby down in the hedge on the other side of the fence, right near it's parents. It scurried off through the hedge to be reunited.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In the past 22 years here I have until now only lost 2 birds to hawks, so losing 3 within a week is a bit unusual. I'm assuming it's a female with babies, that's where their heads are going.

Our strategy has always been to provide lots of cover, lots of rooster look outs, and having donkeys and goats in the same area. It has worked well up until now.

If this continues than we may need to become proactive. Most of my birds aren't confined and it would be difficult to do so. I got a feeling this hawk may be the same as the one that took my one polish hen last fall.

In the past few weeks the pigeon that were here in the silo have disappeared or moved somewhere else. So that may be a sign as well.

I am hoping my birds wise up a bit, and the hawk or owl moves on. We will see.

I had a heck of a time counting my 18 muscovy ducks today. They are constantly on the move around the yard. I believe I finally counted everyone. Next to count the 65 chickens that live in the big shed. I don't believe I'm missing anyone else, but I will do a count to be sure.

We generally get a couple of sandhill cranes back in our pasture, but so far no sign of them. A few fly over every so often. I do love their cries, they sound to me what a dinosaur would sound like. It is a cool sound.

I'm definitely gonna be more vigilant.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think....
I think it's time for the govt. to quit protecting raptors at all cost. Seems to me they've repopulated quite nicely now...