NevilChick
Chirping
- Apr 7, 2017
- 61
- 39
- 86
So sorry for your loss.
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I'd eat a dog that got killed by something. Meat is meat.
I can understand not wanting to eat a pet, though. They still seem special.
My neighbours couldn't care less since they own roosters too, though I suppose it may be different if you live in the city.
Maybe. Took a bit for my flock to get really wary. The last bird I had killed by one was a Sultan that was about as bright as a piece of coal.... the others scoot out of the way quickly enough.
Aww I'm so very sorry for your loss. It sucks to loose a chicken
There are truly only a few hawks that will go after full grown chickens, because of the size. The red tail is the largest here in the U.S. and is spread across the continent a few of the smaller species will attempt to with some success, but they look for smaller prey....bantams and small chicken breeds are more apt to suffer attacks than larger birds. There are some hawks that hunt in pairs or groups, but aren't widespread across the nation and are localized in territory. Eagles and owls take their share, but it is the great horned owl that leads the owl group and there is a significant difference in the sizes of owls, so there are just a few that can attempt to tackle something large. All birds of prey have to have room to swoop down on their prey....like a plane landing at an airport, or taking off.....they rarely will land and attack from the ground, because it isn't natural or their strength to do so....if ya disrupt the flight pattern with obstacles and they don't have a clear open shot to swoop in and out they are much less likely to even attempt to try. Most birds of prey that seek sizeable meals fly high and scan the landscape, their wings are not designed to dart between branches, limbs, trees, buildings, or obstructions....there are some species that do, but they are much smaller and would rarely try anything bigger than a squirrel. When ya look at your area that they are out in, keep these things in mind and a few strageically place obstructions can go a long way in deterring aerial attacks.
So sorry for your loss.
Thankyou, @KDOGG331.
Personally I think there is only one true defense against flying predators, and that is keeping your birds in a run and the run covered with either netting or wire. Roosters as first alert security devices are good. But roosters are noisy, boisterous and brimming with testosterone I know, I've got about 25 of the darling little tyrants. My young hens tend to be more careless and you have to admit, having something swoop down on you from above and behind isn't something you are on the look out for.
Even my younger roosters seem to be highly aware of what is going on around them, and my spring hatched Bantam cockerels, let out an alert cry when they saw me for the first time wearing a sweatshirt hoodie with the hood drawn up over my head this fall. So yep, roosters are worth their weight in gold as warning systems.
My birds are penned in a roomy run during the day but there is little cover for them to escape under in the event of an aerial assault. I've made places for them to take shelter under if they are startled or see a shadow pass over their run and I have seen my roosters herd the hens into a corner of the run, under an overhang and form a parameter around them when a vulture flew over my run once. So make sure your hens have adequate cover they can retreat under if you let them out. I dare say that even if you don't have a rooster, your surviving hens have learned a lesson the hard way and will be more alert in the future.
Yep, that's the tough part. I free range my birds because it's best for their health and I think a slight risk of getting eaten by something is worth it for how happy and healthy they are. It's not super dangerous in my situation, I had a hen that was 9 yrs old when I finally gave her to my neighbour. She's still kicking as far as I know. She's been free range for all except maybe two years of her life when I had wicked bad dog problems.I want to see if they're wary but I also don't want to risk letting them out to find out
Excuse me.I'd eat a dog that got killed by something. Meat is meat.
I can understand not wanting to eat a pet, though. They still seem special.
My neighbours couldn't care less since they own roosters too, though I suppose it may be different if you live in the city.
Excuse me.
Did I really just read this?
Don't admit to this nutball.
I am not bringing my dogs when I come to visit you, that's for sure!
I wouldn't kill one for meat, but if it went kaput I might. Depends why it died. Your doggies are safe.I am not bring my dogs when I come to visit you, that's for sure!
Excuse me.
Did I really just read this?
Don't admit to this nutball.
Yea right...you'd eat mine. You bears would kill them for you!I wouldn't kill one for meat, but if it went kaput I might. Depends why it died. Your doggies are safe.