The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

I have another hawk question for those of you that have wooded areas and experience.

Do hawks ever hunt IN THE WOODS?

As in, do they sit up in the trees and watch the ground and get food from there, or do they just hunt in open areas?

yes, they do hunt in the woods. open ground is preferred, as they have a wider view. But they will go into the woods, especially on the sides open to fields.

You know I have heavy pine cover in my run - you can't walk in at least a third of it because of the pine branches. I had a hawk fly right into the pine tree, sit inside near the trunk, and go to the ground through all the branches. and they do sit in trees and watch - think of how you have probably seen them along highways on trees.

 

[aoxa]

I have another hawk question for those of you that have wooded areas and experience.

Do hawks ever hunt IN THE WOODS?

As in, do they sit up in the trees and watch the ground and get food from there, or do they just hunt in open areas?

Oh yes.. The hawk killed a few chicks in the woods, but they aren't as good at it. They will... Depending on the hawk type. Goshawks are best hunters in the forest. They use the element of surprise.

Quote:

 

[Myrth]

Oh yes.. The hawk killed a few chicks in the woods, but they aren't as good at it. They will... Depending on the hawk type. Goshawks are best hunters in the forest. They use the element of surprise.

Amazing video of the goshawk!! What a beautiful, fiercesome hunter!

 

[aoxa]

Amazing video of the goshawk!! What a beautiful, fiercesome hunter!

I agree. Hard to hate them, when they are that magnificent!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Doomed. All our chickens are doomed.

Had them out a little while I was out there today. Momma is on high alert.

 

[armorfirelady]

Leah's mom if it helps any........I haven't cooped up my girls after the hawk almost got them last weekend. I still have 8 girls running around. I have no doubt hawks still around. But I witnessed today the girls taking off for coop when crows started yelling. Guess maybe they know the crows only start yelling when chasing hawk away? The funny part I was sitting in run with them. They didn't care off they went........

(Rain + hail +cold doesn't make for hooking a sump pump up outside any fun. "Sigh" sitting by fire to warm up till rain stops again so I can finish it)

 

[aoxa]

Doomed. All our chickens are doomed.

Had them out a little while I was out there today. Momma is on high alert.

If it makes you feel any better:

Coopers for me is easiest hawk to manage for. A female is capable of taking down a even a standard sized adult chicken but they do not seem to be good strategists. They seem inclined to go after easy victims first. When flock is young, all female, or bantams that means any and all are easy targets. When flock is mixed gender with standard sized fully adult rooster(s), the hawk can still have easy targets but will also have the distraction or even risk imposed by the larger adult males in flock. When Coopers visit and they do, the adult roosters let it know they know it is present by orienting towards hawk and making a ruckus. If Coopers pushes issue and goes after a flock member my adult roosters will attack it usually from behind and if intended victim is a chick, then mother will attack hawk as well. Not all roosters of all chicken breeds are good against Coopers since considerable variation between individuals involved.

I have as many Coopers as anyone but do not suffer losses from them unless I have small juveniles that can be accessed by hawk without inteference from adult chickens or very active dog. I use all three factors to make visits for Coopers unprofitable. You do not have natural social structure working for you so either access denial light suggested by Oregon Blues or even dog could be employed. Covered run cheapest by far if flock small and natural forage not that important.

I think you need another rooster for backup...

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay, Aoxa...and all you "chicken gender predictors"...

I think you may be right. I think I may have 3 female kiddos. However, the jury is still out for me on the larger black. They all seem to look quite feminine in their overall look... wadayathink?

The blacks are BA/SFH cross.

7 Weeks:

Larger Black:








Smaller Black










Little Miss Mini Gray (SFH)
(I think "Miss")

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leah's mom if it helps any........I haven't cooped up my girls after the hawk almost got them last weekend. I still have 8 girls running around. I have no doubt hawks still around. But I witnessed today the girls taking off for coop when crows started yelling. Guess maybe they know the crows only start yelling when chasing hawk away? The funny part I was sitting in run with them. They didn't care off they went........

(Rain + hail +cold doesn't make for hooking a sump pump up outside any fun. "Sigh" sitting by fire to warm up till rain stops again so I can finish it)

I had the same thing going on with the hawk(s) over the last few weeks. Hawk was around and very close and they were loudly sounding the alarm and keeping from getting nabbed.

However...I think that the more it observed, the better opportunity it had to see their movements and behavior and be able to strike where it counted. I was thinking they were doing well but I probably just gave it more time to figure them out.

I just want to change things up a bit to make things a little less predictable.

 

[aoxa]

They are definitely all girls