Very strange event occurred today in my back yard. I came home this afternoon at 3pm, and from the driveway glanced into the backyard at the three pens of chickens and one pen of guineas. I saw a Coopers Hawk perched on top of the door to the guinea's pen looking down into the pen. All of the pens are uncovered (for now), and three out of four of the pens had chickens/guineas lounging around. (THe fourth pen is my growout coop, and the 6 week olds are kept in the coop when I am not home to watch them.) As the scene appeared very peaceful from the driveway, and all of the chickens/guineas were outside, I assumed (hoped) that I had arrived home in the knick of time. I was wrong. When I got closer to the coops, the hawk flew off and I saw the pile of feathers and carcass inside the bantam's pen. The chickens in the pen were feeding off of the carcass.
So what is wrong with my chickens? A predator had attacked and killed one of their own, was still present, and all they can do is gawk and grab a bite to eat??? The pen that was attacked had two roosters present (apparently didn't get the warning out in time), and the group is always very cohesive. The pullet that was killed was very sweet and friendly, I am sad that she is gone. But I am really angry at my chickens for having such little concern and not learning that hawk = scary danger.
Has anyone else seen a response to a hawk attack like this?
I know the hawk will be back, and have moved the remaining four bantams to the coop with the largest pen which is under the cover of trees and has more protected areas, including a narrow space under the coop where they can go. Looks like this weekend we will be working on the coops (again). I think I will let the guineas free range tomorrow, as they seem to have more sense when a large bird flies overhead - they see it and run for cover. There is no cover in their pen, only the coop which they don't go into very often during the day, so I am thinking they will be safer on their own.
So what is wrong with my chickens? A predator had attacked and killed one of their own, was still present, and all they can do is gawk and grab a bite to eat??? The pen that was attacked had two roosters present (apparently didn't get the warning out in time), and the group is always very cohesive. The pullet that was killed was very sweet and friendly, I am sad that she is gone. But I am really angry at my chickens for having such little concern and not learning that hawk = scary danger.
I know the hawk will be back, and have moved the remaining four bantams to the coop with the largest pen which is under the cover of trees and has more protected areas, including a narrow space under the coop where they can go. Looks like this weekend we will be working on the coops (again). I think I will let the guineas free range tomorrow, as they seem to have more sense when a large bird flies overhead - they see it and run for cover. There is no cover in their pen, only the coop which they don't go into very often during the day, so I am thinking they will be safer on their own.
