Chicken Hawk!

Gardennan
Gardennan Posts: 47 ✭✭✭

At around 6:30 this evening I was going to check on everyone and walk the dog. The rooster was raising quite a ruckus but he's always pretty loud. On closer inspection I didn't see any hens, all of a sudden a big brown bird flies out from under a shrub in the chicken fence. The dog takes off after the bird into the woods. Thankfully all the chickens found hiding spots and all we lost were a bunch of feathers! There is never a dull moment on the homestead...🐓🐔

Comments

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I watched a Red-Tailed Hawk sit under a bush for 20 minutes. The behavior was so unusual that I kept watching until it made a mad dash. It missed the chipmunk it was targeting.

  • drpclarke
    drpclarke Posts: 53 ✭✭✭

    We have a lot of hawks around my property as there are tall power lines in my pasture that they like to perch on. I had to put in extra protection for the chickens to keep them safe. I put them out before I did the last of my work and we lost one. I locked them in the coop for a couple days to finish up the work to protect.

  • VickiP
    VickiP Posts: 586 ✭✭✭✭

    One time my Dad found a hawk tangled up in some fence, he was able to free it and after that every time he was working out in the pasture a hawk would appear and watch him from a tree or a high wire. He was convinced it was the same hawk. Every time I see one I remember the story and I then think about Dad. One day I saw a hawk swoop down and nail one of my hens I ran out with a broom and chased him off the corpse. He landed in tree and complained loudly and while I wasn't going to let him have my poor biddy I could never do him any harm, I just disposed of the body and hoped this one had a good memory too and wouldn't bother trying it again.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @VickiP My personal knowledge of birds tells me that your Dad was correct about the hawk. The term "bird-brain" now has the connotation of being smart.

  • ArleneWoods
    ArleneWoods Posts: 13 ✭✭✭

    There really is no bird called a "chicken hawk" but we all know that nickname! It refers to any raptor that kills chickens. I had a Red-tailed hawk kill 2 of my chickens this summer. The hawks are protected, so you can't kill them, just have to put up more protection for our girls!

  • Blair
    Blair Posts: 46

    we have red-tailed hawks here as well as a few eagles and some other birds of prey as well as "turkey vultures" (they gereraly go for road kill). have lost two maybe three hens to the hawks in nearly 10 years.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A friend just lost her favorite chicken to a skunk. That was a big surprise to this city girl.

  • Gardennan
    Gardennan Posts: 47 ✭✭✭

    I guess we were really lucky to have gone out for our walk at that exact time. My chickens have been acting pretty weird since it happened. They are definitely staying close to their house or under the shade. I haven't seen any big birds flying around so hopefully Libby scared it off for good.