Dang hawk.
We are pretty sure this was the work of that little hawk who lives along the fence line. She got one of the chickens the other day. She is being very bold right now.
Nothing makes you as mad as a hawk attack. What can you do? Mostly nothing but be mad. Check your state laws. Unlike various other varmints that are subject to be handled with extreme prejudice by either your's truly or the Dog Horde... you really can't do anything about the birds of prey but lock down your flocks.
One of the best defenses we have against birds of prey, of all things, are the geese. Running your chickens with larger birds - or goats - actually helps to discourage the hawks. Any of the victims we have found have been on the outskirts of the free range area.
You should also have a good rooster. Our boys do an extremely good job of keeping an eye on the ladies. A very specific "G-A-AAA-ROOOOOOCK" by one of the roos sends the hens running toward cover....and send me and the Dog Horde running toward the hens.
When I found this sad pile of feathers while doing evening chores I immediately started to look for a body....but didn't find one. So I went in and checked all the hennies. One of the gals, with matching feathers, was hiding and had a patch of missing and broken feathers. Thank heavens she lived!
A fluffy little thing - there was no way she fought off the hawk. I think she just got lucky. I checked her all over and she seemed fine. Talk about the one that got away!
Happy Thursday everyone! Are you hawk hunting your hens?
Posts
7 comments:
Watched one the other day from my kitchen window swoop right down onto one of my gals that had gotten on the other side of the neighbors fence. I rushed out with my Paw Patrol, and luckily she just came away with some missing feathers on her neck. There is a pair that lives in the woods across our road so I'm always on the lookout.
wow! isn't that the worst feeling, Amanda? glad your gal is ok.
We seem to have survived the winter without any losses to our hens, although one was taken back in November, but none since. You must have been pleased to know that your hen managed to escape.
you betcha, Vera, she's a cute little thing and a reliable layer.
:-)
A nesting family of Cooper's Hawks resulted in our building a very large run. We are in the migratory path, so for part of the year the girls are on lock down most days. And yeah, nothing makes me madder than a hawk killing my chickens!!!
I hate them so much. One actually picked up one of my keets, and took it out to the pasture and was going to eat it, but my yellow lab went after it, and made it drop it. Then she grabbed up the keet and brought it back! Poor keet died of fright after she got retrieved!
I have nothing to say about what happens to hawks on my property. But I love my chickens, ducks, guineas, and turkeys very much and I am not about to lose any of them to hawks. They need to avoid my property, I think.
Kate, ugh! cant tell if you are lucky to be in the flight path because that is so interesting... or if that is the worst. your poor chickens!
*gives Carol a knowing wink* I understand.... I understand completely.
Post a Comment