What in the world is she saying!?

[ruth]

I've watched mine do that every time they see a hawk. Most of the time they see it long before I do. The only way I know it's somewhere around is by how they are acting. One will make that growling/trill sound - everyone will freeze right where they are. I call it the "statue game" like we played as kids. As soon as the hawk moves to another tree - or flys away from them - they all run and hide - I call it the "hide and seek" game. So far they play both games extremely well. Even the 3 week old babies instinctively do this when they are in the run by themselves.

We have several acres of woods, a river and every predator known to man and mine free range, have an open-top run, and I leave the coop open at all times, including night so they can come and go as they please. So far - 6 months and not a single loss to predators. I've learned a lot by watching how the chickens behave naturally - they are smarter than we think when it comes to surviving predators.

 

[jessupfamily]

Everyone was fine today and the mamas were fine as well. They eventually spread out and acted normally by the end of the day. This was amazing to see up close! I couldn't believe how well the babies listened and knew what was going on. They seem like they're starting to test their distances away from the mamas a little bit. But when the mamas made those noises it was amazing to see them respond! And how the mamas worked together was neat!
Amy J.

 

[FrankBlissett]

At the time you were probably quite shocked - in retrospect though, HOW COOL!

Good diagnosis by the board members too.

I was with a class banding songbirds at Whitefish Point years ago, when one of the sparrows in the nets - right next to me - suddenly exploded in a burst of feathers. A Coopers Hawk had seen it "hovering" in mid air and zoomed in for the kill. It was a bit shocked to find itself caught, gawked at by a dozen curious people, and banded.

-Frank

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Just last evening, we noticed all five girls frozen in place in the run. I didn't see hawks or anything so just kept reading my paper. After about five minutes of this statue trance behavior, suddenly a large hawk or owl swoops across the corner of our yard. It came from a direction I didn't even think the girls could see because their coop is tall.

Chickens: their brains may not be big, but their eyesight and instincts are wicked sharp.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Yes they are. I'm amazed at their instincts. Mine free range and people ask me how I keep away predators. Well I don't. Maybe my dogs and cats that run around freely with the chickens keep them away but most of what I've noticed is that the chickens have a keen eye for danger and freeze and/or run for cover. I spend a lot of time outside with the chicks and they always see something long before I do. I too sometimes wonder how they saw that when it wasn't within what I would think is vision range.