Tricky Hawk!

[DesireGrey]

I have a indoor pool (like under a roof with cafe blinds all around) and my silkie babies have a little enclosure in the garden next to it. Yesterday had been fine until I got up to make dinner. As I filled up the kettel I noticed a large bird caught in the pool house.
My little jackrussleX is my guard dog and chicken protector, but he was inside at the time and hadn't seen the bird yet. I ran to the pool door saying the magic word "mouse" and opened the door to let him out. Straight away he saw the bird and went after it. It took him two jumps and he got it and trotted off. He takes his catches to the nearest grass, which was next to the silkie babies.
It seemed really quick (usually there's a bit more fighting), and as I looked at the bird I saw it was a hawk probably after my babies. I told him to kill it but he just shifted it in his mouth and it tried to fly away (it was playing possum!), he did it again but this time it did get away and took to the trees.

It didn't look really hurt at all. He tends to catch first then kill later, so I don't think he really did any damage.
I'm happy to the fact that an animal didn't get hurt but I'm worried it might come back.
I've put a shade cloth over most of the chicks run but they don't like it and scratch and sit in the part it doesn't reach.

Do you think it will come back or has it been scared away?

 

[chickendreams]

It is an animal. It knows where the food is now and will come back! You were very fortunate to have received a warning. Heed it, and secure your chicks!

 

[DesireGrey]

Thanks, I'll try and find some more shade cloth.
I just thought because he'd been scared by almost being killed by my dog he might not come back.
But I suppose you're right, if you know where food is why go somewhere else?

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks, I'll try and find some more shade cloth.
I just thought because he'd been scared by almost being killed by my dog he might not come back.
But I suppose you're right, if you know where food is why go somewhere else?

DesireGrey,
Your observation is quite unusual. I have seen many encounters involving hawks, poultry and dogs and not seen quite what you describe unless the hawk was a juvenile. This is the time of year juvenile hawks are fledging and will be easy, if trapped in a building, even for a dog to catch. Could you post a picture if not of hawk involved, one like it? Since you said nothing about large size I am hedging a bet the hawk is a fledgling American kestrel. If so, then you have a nest hole very close by, possibly in your yard in an large tree or part of a building. Such are not a threat. If a chicken eating type of hawk, then experience you related will cause hawk to at least avoid your place. I used to catch juvenile kestrels annually in my yard. Once fledged they had a tendency to fall to ground during first day or so owing to limited flying ability. In several incendences, if I did not place kestrel in a tree, then one of my chickens would kill it very quickly.

 

[DesireGrey]

Oh I should have said I'm in Australia. It was a native hawk about half the size of my jackrussle. Sorry I'm not sure how else to explain. We're also in winter at the moment so there isn't really any breading.
<< that's the closest I coud find.

 

[centrarchid]

Oh I should have said I'm in Australia. It was a native hawk about half the size of my jackrussle. Sorry I'm not sure how else to explain. We're also in winter at the moment so there isn't really any breading.
<< that's the closest I coud find.

Picture you posted looks to be our north american red-shouldered hawk which is a buteo or as the Europeans say buzzard. You do not appear to have any in that genus in Australia based on following link: http://www.raptor.org.au/species.html#eagles&hawks

Based on my interpretation of your photograph I will guess your guest was either a brown goshawk or collared sparrowhawk. The former appears similar to our Coopers hawk which does sometimes go after chickens, especially small chickens, but I think your brown goshawk is a bit smaller than our Coopers hawk. The latter is very similar to a sharp-shinned hawk and would have trouble handling anything larger than a 2-week old chicken unless a bantam and that would still need to be a juvenile.