The Hawk Struck Again ...

[Boonie Stomper]

...and LOST!
Or did it? All my chickens uninjured physically, minus some feathers. On hearing alarm squawks, I raced to the coop where the sound came from. There were feather batches along the way and no sign of my 3 hens.
Anywhere. My DS and I hunted all over the yard including outside fences in front yard and next door. Then I heard squawking again from the coop.
I found Missy on top of the hawk. Repeat... no mistake. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture. They had both gotten between the back of a standing freezer in there and the wall.
The hawk was much smaller than expected when it was out, and unharmed as was Missy, although she was decidedly upset.
A little calming and looking around later here is where the 3 hens are now hiding. Good job!!

Below is the hawk still hanging around minutes later, just before flying off during my attempt to get a closer picture. The hawk family nests in a tree next door.

BTW I have discovered that chickens can growl! I got growled at for letting the hawk get away....

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'd probably have let the hen have it, I admit.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

It's unclear how the two birds ended up in the position they were in. Missy's rump was just over the hawk's head. It may have been a bad outcome if I wasn't there to get Missy unstuck. No telling how hawk ended up beneath her facing the opposite direction.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

So... now I've had time to supervise the hens to get them back into normal so to speak. Gave them a bowl of crispy shrimp shells for good measure.
They love those!

They had probably been together free ranging the backyard when the hawk struck. As it turns out following Missy probably hanging onto her as she ran explains the feathers along the way. This hawk was smaller than the oft seen red-tailed hawks living in the neighbor's tree. Likely under one pound in weight with a long tail relatively speaking. It also did not look the same. So now am just praying it was just passing through and will not be back.
I'm not sure but maybe was a Cooper's hawk?

 

[ByrdFeathers]

Congrats on not losing any birds

 

[getaclue]

Next time, go out armed with a stick, rake, hoe, shovel, nerf gun, anything besides a camera. When something tries to kill your chickens, you don't just take pictures of it.

 

[21hens-incharge]

WOW! Close call!

I wouldn't be letting them range at all with hawks nesting so close.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

I have failed! At roost time only shortly after the shrimp shell feeding in the coop, I went back out and only saw 1 chicken. After hunting and calling while carrying Dasher to help no luck.
Back to the coop... ANOTHER hawk is in there and has attacked Missy this time UNDER the freezer. She's looking awful. The 3rd hen managed to be hidden in a other tight spot and seems OK.
This is not the same hawk. Perhaps the female if the earlier one was a youth or a small male red-tailed hawk rather than another species ...
Here is the villain:

Here is the damage

So now what. I mean the uninvited villains that are protected from even having a feather touched witbout a permit, much less being relocated or dispatched.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Time to get the coop and run secured!

This went from close call to damage done. So sad for your terrified birds.

If you don't have a run a hoop run is both secure and inexpensive.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

WOW! Close call!

I wouldn't be letting them range at all with hawks nesting so close.

I didn't expect hawk attacks to grown hens... Especially with tons of smaller prey available such as squirrels songbirds rabbits and other rodents. There hasn't been any trouble in months!