You won't believe who saved my chickens!

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Way to go little birdies.....I am sure the hens are very appreciative of them...maybe they had a pact..Hey, you can eat some of our food in turn for keeping the hawks away. sounds good right???

 

[gryeyes]

For this exact reason, I have not minded the sparrows, gold finches and chickadees who visit and eat some feed. However, Greta the Black Sexlink cannot stand them and she will chase them off. Cracks me up. Now that everybody free ranges, the "tweety birds" get access more frequently. I've only seen one at a time in the run - for all I know, it's the same sparrow, chickadee and finch. Or maybe they just take turns.

And yes, I know wild birds can bring disease.

ALL the chickens hate the jays, as do I.

 

[cozycrestmom]

to the Deputy Birds... So glad for you... I am now in fear for ours... My husband thinks he saw a hawk...

 

[colowyo0809]

Congrats on the guardian flock!

You know, I've read time and again about how worried or afraid people are of hawks attacking their birds. So far, I haven't seen this to be a problem. I've seen hawks circle our land, and not once have they shown any interest in the chickens what so ever. I'm sure we have just been very lucky, or something, but honestly I think its a bit more basic than that. We make sure they are well supplied with other interests. A good portion of our acreage is left alone, and has mice and voles and praire dogs and all sorts of other stuff. Course, come mid winter or early spring I'm sure they'll go after the chickens as an easier meal than the others

 

[DDRanch]

Yea little birds.

For the last 3 years, I have had ravens build a nest and raise young in the euclaptyus trees that surround our property. They will aggressivly chase off all hawks, large, small, passing through or living close by. I consider them my best babysitters ever. Course my hens are all grown up so the ravens don't bother them. It's a good day when the ravens are on duty.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

Yay for the little birds. I encourage the crows around here to fend off the hawks. So far it's working out wonderfully. My Ginger, a free ranging hen who doesn't get along with anyone, knows to run when she hears the crows. After encouraging them for a few years I now have about 8-10 crows roosting around my yard who chase every hawk within eyesight of the farm.

In Massachusetts it's illegal to kill, harrass or otherwise remove a hawk. Ain't nature grand for taking care of itself when I can't.