Why so many post on hawk arrack?

[drowningcreek]

Quote:
Yep, but I refer to them as "giant rats" due to the uncanny resemblance.

In lots of places, all the quail and rabbits have been completely wiped out. There are papers that mention that since cats will kill just for fun, they'll kill all the prey animals and not just what they eat, leaving nothing for native predators (at least those that don't like carrion).

Yup. We had one outdoor cat... she just died. We won't replace her with another outdoor kitteh because even though she killed moles, rats and squirrels, she also killed the bunnies and chipmunks and they are not booming in population. I'll get rat zapper traps for the rats.

 

[bostm]

I live in the city of High Point, North Carolina right in town beside a major university with lots of traffic and last December 2010 a hawk killed one of my large 6 lb. Red hens and only ate parts of the neck. No problems at all in 2011 until last week, again the last week in December. A hawk Attacked my largest hen & penned her up against the side of my house, there is plenty of cover, but he stalked her. She is surviving a major neck wound. I am putting bird tetracycline in her water, she is indoors and quiet with a heat lamp. Don't understand this trend. There are plenty of squirrels, small birds, etc. in my yard. It seems this is a hard kill for what little meat from the neck they acquire. I was in the yard the day of the attack with my dogs and chickens. The hawk waited until I left and attacked. I have ordered the hen aprons with predator eyes to use as a detterent and only letting them free range when I am outdoors with them. It seems that there is a trend to these attacks, both the last weeks of December and both @ about 3-4:00 in the evening.
Also I have seen a major decline starting this fall with the normal wild bird population I feed in the yard. Last year I had to fill feeder and suet daily, now it is once every few weeks to fill feeders. I have had an incredible bird feeding station for years with water and multiple feeders and this is the first year I have seen such a decline in the bird population.

 

[Chickenlover14]

I don't like them at all!! I think they know it Illegal to shoot them so they just fly around looking making you mad when they get something make sure you have your chicken in a good cage

 

[Wile E.]

Quote:
Yep, but I refer to them as "giant rats" due to the uncanny resemblance.

In lots of places, all the quail and rabbits have been completely wiped out. There are papers that mention that since cats will kill just for fun, they'll kill all the prey animals and not just what they eat, leaving nothing for native predators (at least those that don't like carrion).

Here it is usually too cold in the winter for cats to run wild. Plus we have coyotes. Coyotes like kitties.

We end up with cats roaming in the summer but they have to find a farm to spend the winter. Quite a few people will shoot a cat if it is out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Quote:
Welcome to BYC, I live in Jonesville now, but am from W-S and work there. We had a Cooper's Hawk get into out coop, but it was chasing a small bird and became confused. We live on 20 acres and luckily our Hawks are catching rodents on some land we had sawmilled. You are right about seeing birds, I usually see tons of cardnials, but not this year! Interesting........

 

[Oregon Blues]

I don't seem to have any more hawks than usual in my area. What I've noticed in the past couple of years is a huge upsurge in the number of poultry keepers who don't think it is their responsibility to protect their birds.

Lots of folks somehow think that if they don't take any responsibility for their own livestock that it is the fault of that darn hawk when their birds get killed.

If you have hawks in your area that are large enough to kill a chicken (many of them are not), then keep your birds in a covered pen, and the hawks won't be able to get them. If you want to let the chickens out, then do it while you can stand guard.

If you decide to allow your birds to free range unsupervised, then be resigned to the fact that you will lose birds, and it is NOT the fault of the predator that takes them. Responsibility falls directly on the chicken-keeper.

 

[trailchick]

Sorry, got to stick up for them.

I watched a Kestral yesterday morning as it ate a sparrow from my wild bird
feeding station. They generally only go after the very old, very young, & sick.
They do mostly eat rodents: mice, rats, gophers, muskrats, rabbits, even the jackrabbit.
small birds, starlings, pigeons, small kittens, snakes, & lizards. But will take an easy opportunity, tho.

They are beautiful and have a place in all the ecosystems that they migrate to.
They represent & keep a healthy ecosystem working and are part of a food chain that is
imbalanced in the USA.....

 

[Nambroth]

The natural food sources for raptors (birds of prey) are shrinking year by year as more and more habitat is developed, turned into rows and rows of houses, parking lots, supercenters, strip malls... you name it. Think about what has been developed in your area in the last 5, 10 years... especially if you are near a growing city. As their prime hunting locations diminish, and as more people get backyard chickens, we will see more and more hawks turning to prey on chickens.
As previously mentioned, yes cats have had an impact on prey species as well. I don't hate cats, but I recognize that it's a problem.

While it would break my heart to lose one of my pet chickens to a hawk, in the end I can't be mad with the hawk.

My most sincere sympathy to anyone that's lost birds to predation.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

We live near Hawk Mtn in PA where they annually count the migrating hawks. Haven't had hawk trouble until this year. I suspect due to drought that the farmers have cleaned the fields up pretty cleanly and that eliminates cover for rodents. Plus we are missing our local crows who chase the hawks. We have not resorted to sss, but the last two attacks were 5 feet and 1 foot from our house. That's awfully close! They seem to target the smallest chickens: young stock or leghorns for us. Heard on the radio that local townfolk were missing a lot of cats and blaming the hawks.

 

[7L Farm]

The hawks are bad here this winter thick as thieves. Had to put my roo down so the girls aren't happy no free ranging for them. I figure there's not much for them to forage on so why take a chance. I let them out when I can watch them. When the leaves return I'll let them out. I have a garden so plenty of green stuff for them.They need some green. Don't we all.