I have a small flock of 3/4 grown bantam yard candy in addition to the big flock of large fowl.
I had been turning them all out around 7 a.m. they come up at around 7 pm ish and I put them up. Yesterday evening I was missing a white sultan and a white cochin. DS8 is pretty savvy on this stuff and said lets go look in the ring as that is their favorite place. We start to walk down with dread as we see a large white area.
We get down to it and KNOW they are gone. ALL that was left was a smallish pile of feathers and the complete wing. No feet or head or beak.
Ds says well now what are we gonna do. Because he knows (as we have discussed this) it will probably come back. I am thinking it MUST have been a hawk or bird of some sort. Feathers were RIGHT under a large tree. It wasn't a totally secluded area. It was mostly open. Both birds were white so would be more easily seen.
So this a.m. I put them ALL in a large outdoor cage I have. They were less then impressed! I got back from my morning run and SURPRISE, the white cochin was at the cage wishing it was IN the cage.
So based on the fact it was JUST feathers, IN broad daylight does that mean bird? DO you think white birds are more likely to get taken?
Lastly CAN an hawk or eagle take one of my full grown large fowl? I know that you WILL lose some if you free range, I am okay with that, but the bantams, I think it could just take them one by one. We are now thinking of making another smaller coop with attached enclosed run.
So tell me your bird predator issues or am I on the wrong track?
I had been turning them all out around 7 a.m. they come up at around 7 pm ish and I put them up. Yesterday evening I was missing a white sultan and a white cochin. DS8 is pretty savvy on this stuff and said lets go look in the ring as that is their favorite place. We start to walk down with dread as we see a large white area.
We get down to it and KNOW they are gone. ALL that was left was a smallish pile of feathers and the complete wing. No feet or head or beak.
Ds says well now what are we gonna do. Because he knows (as we have discussed this) it will probably come back. I am thinking it MUST have been a hawk or bird of some sort. Feathers were RIGHT under a large tree. It wasn't a totally secluded area. It was mostly open. Both birds were white so would be more easily seen.
So this a.m. I put them ALL in a large outdoor cage I have. They were less then impressed! I got back from my morning run and SURPRISE, the white cochin was at the cage wishing it was IN the cage.
So based on the fact it was JUST feathers, IN broad daylight does that mean bird? DO you think white birds are more likely to get taken?
Lastly CAN an hawk or eagle take one of my full grown large fowl? I know that you WILL lose some if you free range, I am okay with that, but the bantams, I think it could just take them one by one. We are now thinking of making another smaller coop with attached enclosed run.
So tell me your bird predator issues or am I on the wrong track?
