This is why you should have a covered run

[azygous]

That was very hard to watch.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

That was very hard to watch.

I know. I first came across that video years ago when i was researching All predators in my area, including hawks. The video made a lasting impression, and was equally as heart-wrenching when i viewed it again today. Nature is brutal; thats for sure.

 

[azygous]

"Red in tooth and claw." Tennyson.

 

[McChooky]

That was very hard to watch.

Some of life's lessons are learned by watching others but the hardest are those we make ourselves. I can only imagine how hard it would be to listen to this if it was one of ours.

 

[-Flash-]

In general i agree with this statement "hawks dont walk up to chickens---" (But there are countless hawk threads on the predator forum where many will disagree that only rarely do hawks kill adult chickens, & i have personal experience to also disagree.) Also, for every "rule", there are exceptions to the rules. And never underestimate the determination of a hungry predator, especially one as intelligent as a hawk.

The Sounds of the video below are graphic and disturbing, & there's really no reason to keep watching/listening once the attack begins. For those who dont want to watch/listen, the video shows a hawk fly down to the ground outside the chicken run, then up to the top edge of the run, then down ito the ground Inside the run (where no chickens are in view), then go into the coop and kill a chicken.

The poor thing.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

The poor thing.

Yes. But chickens (and other prey animals) die in terror from many predators, not just hawks, Sadly, that's nature's way. Painful as the video is to watch, it was videos like that one that motivated me to build Fort Knox coops and covered secure runs when i first got chickens.

As far as predators and prey, i get it. Wild animals don't receive food stamps, they dont shop at grocery stores, they don't get to eat at restaurant buffets. Best we can do is force predators to find a meal somewhere else, & not dine on our chickens.

 

[-Flash-]

Yes. But chickens (and other prey animals) die in terror from many predators, not just hawks, Sadly, that's nature's way. Painful as the video is to watch, it was videos like that one that motivated me to build Fort Knox coops and covered secure runs when i first got chickens.

Yeah, I know. We had a fox get into our chook pen once, it took a bird and another died in terror.

 

[McChooky]

Some of life's lessons are learned by watching others but the hardest are those we make ourselves. I can only imagine how hard it would be to listen to this if it was one of ours.

Yes. But chickens (and other prey animals) die in terror from many predators, not just hawks, Sadly, that's nature's way. Painful as the video is to watch, it was videos like that one that motivated me to build Fort Knox coops and covered secure runs when i first got chickens.

As far as predators and prey, i get it. Wild animals don't receive food stamps, they dont shop at grocery stores, they don't get to eat at restaurant buffets. Best we can do is force predators to find a meal somewhere else, & not dine on our chickens.

I'll be the first to admit it would have been too expensive for me to built a predator proof coop and run out of new lumber with the price of lumber being what it is. (I built it out of scrap wood and pallets) I was fortunate enough to have the support of my family and friends who helped me gather pallets and scrap wood so I could make it because they knew how much I love chickens and wanted to have some. That doesn't mean they understood. I am the only person in my whole family who has chickens.

 

[McChooky]

Yes. But chickens (and other prey animals) die in terror from many predators, not just hawks, Sadly, that's nature's way. Painful as the video is to watch, it was videos like that one that motivated me to build Fort Knox coops and covered secure runs when i first got chickens.

As far as predators and prey, i get it. Wild animals don't receive food stamps, they dont shop at grocery stores, they don't get to eat at restaurant buffets. Best we can do is force predators to find a meal somewhere else, & not dine on our chickens.

My family and friends were kind enough to offer me their moral support in the construction phase of my build nonetheless it motivated me to build my own Fort Knox coop and not give up. My 6 chicks are 7-8 months old and lay 4-6 eggs a day now.

 

[Shezadandy]

I know. I first came across that video years ago when i was researching All predators in my area, including hawks. The video made a lasting impression, and was equally as heart-wrenching when i viewed it again today. Nature is brutal; thats for sure.

Yes, I saw this one too while in the process of figuring out my first coop and run build, and that video was the reason I opted for a closed and covered run. Whoever posted it has probably saved thousands of chickens by sharing this terrible scene.

Around here the hawks will dive and hit my net and bounce off but they have no way in with the chain link covered 100% in hardware cloth. The older hawks figured out not to dive on them the first year we were here, I think now it's the youngsters that just got booted from mom that try it.

Fortunately the bear just ambles through now and again and leaves poop on the road. Given that heron will eat baby ducks I can only imagine our resident heron would love a shot at the chicks- it got several koi before we netted the pond ... and will just stand there and look at us feet from the front door, completely unimpressed.