Vultures?

[FaereChicken]

I know that turkey vultures are generally not predatory, but we have a gang this afternoon, swooping around the yard. The yard is surrounded by woods, and the chicken tractor is near one edge right now. I don't smell anything majorly dead, and I can't tell what they're focusing on. I put the girls back into the safe coop, instead of the yard. Anybody had a problem with vultures? I noticed they've been kinda stinky lately (not moving the coop enough), but sheesh!

 

[redhen]

They will take live prey...I've seen it here in my yard..it went after my silkie..started to rip her breast feathers out and then saw us and took off.. I at first thought it was an eagle because of its size, but i showed people on here the pics of it circling, and they said it was a turkey vulture... So be careful..

 

[FaereChicken]

Yikes! Girls are in the coop, and we think we've identified the source of the dead, where they're congregating. I'm still not taking any chances.

 

[redhen]

Alot of people will tell you that they wont go after live food...but i dont believe it anymore...needless to say..LOL

 

[erinm]

I have never seen a turkey vulture attack. Are these turkey vultures you are talking about or different? Even the gangs pay them no mind. I had on here somwhere that they do not have the talon /leg strength to carry prey? They are carrion eaters. I have never lost one to them anyway. Just the darn red tails and fox. ErinM

 

[cgmccary]

Been around Turkey Vultures & chickens all my life (48 years) and have never seen one attack and kill a chicken. I know ANYTHING is possible and there is probably an exception somewhere, or one on record killing a chicken (but there is probably everything on Earth, on record, killing a chicken)--- but these birds are very beneficial. They have keen senses of smell (better than yours)-- can smell something dead from miles away, so could be looking for something they smell that is dead there.

 

[wildorchid053]

i was just googling turkey vultures.. it said they do not kill live animals..but the black vulture that looks like it does