TRAVIS KELLEY
Chirping
I have large Oak trees all around my place as well as the usual powerlines that come with living in a home. There are an abundance and variety of hawks, coons, foxes, owls, coyotes, etc. and have no problems with them. My main deterrent for the predatory birds is my Red Rooster, Max. Max does exactly what he is designed to do, be mean and protect his brood.
Since Max doesn't really have much opportunity to hone his fighting skills I bought him a kickball over a year ago and we play together. I roll the kickball along the ground and he will chase it and flog it. I also bounce it in front of him to allow him to jump up and flog it in the air. It was purely by accident I discovered his affinity for going after the kickball when my daughter kicked it into the run and Max immediately went after it. After playing with him for about a week I began to hear him in the run playing with the kickball by himself, it's a hoot.
He has gotten amazingly accurate and even popped a couple of them with his spurs. This is good exercise and training for Max, and also puts his skills on display for any hawks perched nearby in order to give them pause about going after a hen. The "training" has helped strengthen him and keep him ready for action should a predatory bird decide to make the mistake of coming after a hen.
The Hawks perch nearby all the time and have never once even so much as done a flyby on the coop or run. I highly recommend getting a kickball for training and strengthening your rooster, or if for nothing other than the entertainment value.
Since Max doesn't really have much opportunity to hone his fighting skills I bought him a kickball over a year ago and we play together. I roll the kickball along the ground and he will chase it and flog it. I also bounce it in front of him to allow him to jump up and flog it in the air. It was purely by accident I discovered his affinity for going after the kickball when my daughter kicked it into the run and Max immediately went after it. After playing with him for about a week I began to hear him in the run playing with the kickball by himself, it's a hoot.
He has gotten amazingly accurate and even popped a couple of them with his spurs. This is good exercise and training for Max, and also puts his skills on display for any hawks perched nearby in order to give them pause about going after a hen. The "training" has helped strengthen him and keep him ready for action should a predatory bird decide to make the mistake of coming after a hen.
The Hawks perch nearby all the time and have never once even so much as done a flyby on the coop or run. I highly recommend getting a kickball for training and strengthening your rooster, or if for nothing other than the entertainment value.
