I let the girls out for a bit early this morning, and I heard a sudden and loud squwak. I ran to look out thinking someone might be laying, but didn't see anything going on. As I was watching, I saw something shoot overhead. Thinking my neighbors might be throwing something, I went outside to take a look. A second after I got outside, a hawk landed on my fence bold as can be. I chased him off yelling obsenities (probably should have skipped that part considering that it is 7AM on a Sunday.) He left, but did a pas over immediately thereafter at which point I locked up the chickens. I think it was a Cooper's Hawk. What do I do? I often leave the girls out while I do things in the house, but I am having some doubts about that being a good idea. Does anyone know the favorite hunting times of hawks? First a fox, now a hawk. MY GIRLS ARE NOT DINNER, SO BACK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Help! I caught a Hawk scoping out my chickens.
Amazing! Yes, we used to watch Cooper's Hawks in Berkeley--they went for the introduced Eastern Grey Squirrels. I think you are going to have to keep the girls in a tractor for a while, now that the hawk is aware of them. You can make a very nice, very inexpensive and light weight one from PVC and 2 inch chicken wire--it won't protect them from foxes or dogs--but it will keep the hawks from swooping down and grabbing them while you aren't looking. I'll send a picture of one I built for my chicks--they are extremely light and easy to move--and you can throw them together in about half and hour whatever size and shape you want. If you cover it with a piece of shade cloth they won't even be visible to the hawk.
I know fall is a big time for raptors--lots migrating through. Maybe it is transitory situation?
Do you have plenty in the yard for them to hide under? Were your girls running for cover? Mine now look up when the occasional airplane flies too close. But their rooster buddies stand guard. I got bird netting for about $10 and suspended it from the roof of their shed outwards which provides adequate protection for the youngest and for when they are just coming out in the morning. Right after I did that I caught a hawk veering away at the last second -that stuff billows and is hard for them to read/ID I think. Once the girls learned to be a little defensive I no longer worried about any but the younglings. (How big IS a Coopers Hawk?) If the hawk this morning was enough of a reminder they should be much more canny from here on out. My policy so far (not completed yet but..) is some hidey-holes, a dog, some geese.
hunting time = when hungry and prey is availble.
ditto what they said, chickens see and hear, need good cover. till it gives up and moves on, i would lock them up and build a tractor, use that mesh stuff. one time of getting caught in it [and pecked by the chickens] will cure that hawk. she may even tell the other hawks, dont' got THERE...
There isn't a whole lot of cover, mostly because I fenced an area without cover with poultry netting so the evil fox couldnt climb a tree and drop down on my chickens. They definately saw the hawk. I heard them squawk in a way I never had before, and they went running. I looked up local hawks and falcons to see if I could figure out what type it was, and I'm pretty sure it was a Cooper's Hawk. Apperently this type of hawk is also called a Chicken Hawk because it so commonly preys on poultry. It seemed a bit smaller then that are, but from what I read on-line, it sounds like a Coopers Hawk can take a full grown chicken (even a Jersey Giant). Maybe I will see about running bird netting from the fence out. It probably doesn't need to be that secure as lon as it covers everything. Thanks for all your help.
Myrrh
Cooper's Hawks are THE "Chicken Hawk." Yes, they can take a full grown, very large chicken. A similar hawk that looks much the same is the much smaller sharp-shinned hawk. It also likes chicken, but can't easily take on the largest birds. Coopers hawks will chase birds on the ground and through brush, so hoping that vegetation will protect the chickens is, unfortunately not a good plan. Your best bet is to keep them locked in a tractor or coop until the hawk passes through (if it is migrating) or leaves in search of easier prey.
www. whatbird. com (remove spaces) is a very good site for bird identification.
Suze
I'm glad you got fencing up. I was worried about the fox thing when Cats mentioned tractor...
thanks again, Suze for the info (again)