Vulture keeps landing in my yard

[cmom]

Turkey vultures tried to get my younger Delawares some years back. Several vultures chased and caught up with one pullet. My dog and I heard the noise and ran outside, chased them away. She was bitten and scratched up, and lost a lot of feathers. Doc gave her antibiotics and a vitamin shot and we kept her in a crate on her own until she healed up. She lived to eight years old, had a scar on her back and a slight limp the rest of her life. But she was a good layer!

Now I don't let the young ones or bantams free range unless one of the dogs or the geese are out. When I see the vultures swoop low over the yard (probably to see if anyone is available), I yell and wave my hat at them. The chickens and ducks and geese seem to appreciate that!

That is odd that they would attack your birds. I know they will go after a distressed critter but they do not normally prey on a live healthy animal. They are mostly scavengers.

 

[centrarchid]

Is it possible the Black Vulture is using your location as a roost where it is close to reliable thermals needed for soaring and can see other vultures from your location as well?

 

[333113]

That is odd that they would attack your birds. I know they will go after a distressed critter but they do not normally prey on a live healthy animal. They are mostly scavengers.

I think a lot depends on how hungry they are. The Delawares were young and bantam-sized, with no parent nearby.

However, they regularly swoop over my coops and often sit on the cages. It's pretty upsetting for the birds.

The red-tail hawks do this, too, but usually only the young ones.

 

[cmom]

The Red-Tail hawks would like to kill your birds. They are looking for an opportunity. Sometimes I see the vultures here sitting on the fence posts, but they never bother the birds.

 

[Ginmary]

Can you hit it with the hose? (pressure washer even better)

 

[cmom]

I did that once with an aggressive hen. When I finally opened the gate to let the older birds and younger bird mingle, one hen was constantly picking on the pullets. I surprised her with squirting her with a hose that had a fire nozzle on the end so it was a very strong spray. She jumped off the pullet and ran into the coop. I caught her by surprise a few times and even put her in chicken jail. I had some birds I was taking to an auction so I took her too. Maybe a change in environment calmed her down.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I have never experienced Turkey or Black Vultures attempting to prey on my chickens. They and the geese will sound the alarm when they see one, but they all watch it for a moment and go back to their business.

 

[333113]

I have never experienced Turkey or Black Vultures attempting to prey on my chickens. They and the geese will sound the alarm when they see one, but they all watch it for a moment and go back to their business.

Years of experience with animals, both domestic and wild, have taught me to say "usually" instead of "never" and "always."

 

[Chicken Heel]

Black buzzards are very prevalent in the central VA/NC border area that I call home. They have been known to kill calves, lambs, goats, and even dogs and cats. The one that the OP saw was probably a scout and if they come across a prospective meal, many others show up to join the party. They also have been known to cause damage to vehicles and the roofs and vent caps on houses in our area. It got so bad in our town a couple of years ago that the state of VA issued a permit to kill up to 75 of them. But now we have double that number as their replacements. Interestingly, in looking at some town council meeting minutes from 1905, there was a notation about the vulture problem in town so this is not a new occurrence at all in these parts.

 

[Skippersnh]

Vultures only eat dead animals from what I've read