Lost 5 hens

el duderino said:
We lost 10/12 of the first flock to hawks and mareks disease, still have 9 left from the second flock after a few dissappeared probably from hawks again. We havnt seen any sign of coyote or fox around the yard but have at my parents horse barn a mile away or so, though we know a fisher came through last summer. We close them up after they put themselves away at dusk, weve had pretty good luck and get more eggs than we can eat. Bought ours up at Dodge grain in salem, nh, I think you have to buy a dozen.
Click to expand...

As of July, they don't have the minimum any more
 
Love a state that actually puts effort into repealing silly laws.


Hawks also leave feather piles, usually okay to "scare" them away in a non-deadly fashion. "All hawks and owls are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC, 703-711). These laws strictly prohibit the capture, killing, or possession of hawks or owls without special permit. No permits are required to scare depredating migratory birds except for endangered or threatened species.". Any place near you still selling 12ga shell crackers?
 
Mattyweb said:
Any suggestions on the hawk?
Click to expand...

The hawks shouldn't be a problem to much longer, once mine grew to full size they seem to be left alone. Had a few close calls with a red-tail myself, similar to yours where I interjected and had it flying right at my head.

I didn't have a completely enclosed area at the time, but I took some old CD'rs and pointed them reflective side up on some driveway markers in the area where the chickens would hang out. Apparently this looks like fire to the hawk and keeps them away. I've only lost one chicken and it that was just a few weeks ago after she got egg bound at a year and a half old.
 
SteelShooter said:
It was a state law
Click to expand...

It was repealed? What was up with that anyway? I was looking around this spring at chickens, hoping to get some next year, and was wondering what the minimum order of 12 of them was about. I'm pretty sure 12 would produce more eggs than we need.
 
Prepper said:
It was repealed? What was up with that anyway? I was looking around this spring at chickens, hoping to get some next year, and was wondering what the minimum order of 12 of them was about. I'm pretty sure 12 would produce more eggs than we need.
Click to expand...

Yea, just repealed in July, not sure why it was ever there to begin with.
 
SteelShooter said:
Yea, just repealed in July, not sure why it was ever there to begin with.
Click to expand...

I was told the reason for the law was to require people to get adequately sized flocks. It was for the birds well being.

I understand they are social birds and should be kept in groups but it must have been a California transplant that authored that legislation.
 
joe847 said:
I was told the reason for the law was to require people to get adequately sized flocks. It was for the birds well being.

I understand they are social birds and should be kept in groups but it must have been a California transplant that authored that legislation.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that's wrong, it is because if you sell 3 or 4 birds at 1 day old they won't survive because they can't keep warm. Once the birds are 4 weeks old you could buy 1 if you wanted to but under 4 weeks it was 12 to increase survival.
 
NHAtHeart said:
I'm pretty sure that's wrong, it is because if you sell 3 or 4 birds at 1 day old they won't survive because they can't keep warm. Once the birds are 4 weeks old you could buy 1 if you wanted to but under 4 weeks it was 12 to increase survival.
Click to expand...

This is why hatcheries wont ship less than a couple dozen day olds.
 
I got six day olds mailed to me from mypetchicken this past June. Came in a box with a hand warmer. All six made it.
 
Damned hawks. Sitting here at my desk working from home this AM and hear the chooks making a commotion. They hang out under a rhododendron visible from the window. I look out and don't immediately see what the issue is, then I see it, a greyish hawk under the bush with them. It has one of my Plymouth Barred Rocks. I throw open the window and yell, and since I am already halfway out, jump out the window and chase him off. I didn't see him carrying anything as he flew off but I can't find the chicken now. Hopefully she is just hiding. Tons of feathers on the ground but no visible blood.

Are there any grey colored hawks around here? It was good sized but not as big as the Red Taileds I see around here. I didn't see him at first because I thought it was one of the Plymouth Rocks.

Of course, all the doors were locked. It was easier jumping out the window without thinking than it was getting my fat butt back in.
 
Mattyweb said:
Damned hawks. Sitting here at my desk working from home this AM and hear the chooks making a commotion. They hang out under a rhododendron visible from the window. I look out and don't immediately see what the issue is, then I see it, a greyish hawk under the bush with them. It has one of my Plymouth Barred Rocks. I throw open the window and yell, and since I am already halfway out, jump out the window and chase him off. I didn't see him carrying anything as he flew off but I can't find the chicken now. Hopefully she is just hiding. Tons of feathers on the ground but no visible blood.

Are there any grey colored hawks around here? It was good sized but not as big as the Red Taileds I see around here. I didn't see him at first because I thought it was one of the Plymouth Rocks.

Of course, all the doors were locked. It was easier jumping out the window without thinking than it was getting my fat butt back in.
Click to expand...

Falcon maybe? We have Peregrine Falcons around here, little smaller than Red Tails and greyish. Much less common we're at the north edge of their range on the coastline. I've only seen a couple of them ever where I have seen red tails probably once a week.
 
NHAtHeart said:
Falcon maybe? We have Peregrine Falcons around here, little smaller than Red Tails and greyish. Much less common we're at the north edge of their range on the coastline. I've only seen a couple of them ever where I have seen red tails probably once a week.
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe. The bastard came back about an hour later too. Sat in a tree about 5 feet off the coop. He was watching for me though because as soon as I stood up he took off. I didn't get a great look at him but he was very grey. I thought maybe a young Red Tail but I've never seen one this grey.

I took it as a good sign he came back though and that he didn't get a meal the first time. I had all the others in their enclosed run. I stayed out for a while calling her and she eventually just showed up. They can be real good at hiding when they want. Have no idea where she was. She's a little bloody and missing some feathers but otherwise looks like she'll make it. Definately in shock, was in a daze all day and I had to put her on the roost with the others when the sun went down. She's eating though so can't be all bad.

Looks like I'll be expanding their enclosed run this spring.

orca.JPG
 
We get all kinds hawks here.

Sharp Shinned
Broad Winged
Sparrow
Turkey Vulture
Redtailed
And a ton of owls too

- - - Updated - - -

We get all kinds hawks here.

Sharp Shinned
Broad Winged
Sparrow
Turkey Vulture
Redtailed
And a ton of owls too
 
SSS

Lots of predatory birds, all federally protected. Are "bird bombs" (cracker shells) legal for chasing off hawks in NH?

I'm cool with pretty much any critter which reduces the rodent population, so I'm always happy to see my local barred owl hanging out in the tree just outside my window, but I might feel otherwise if I was trying to raise chickens.
 
I usually send the kids out in the yard when I see a red tail or a Vulture in the area. I figure the kids are too heavy to lift. Haven't lost one yet, or a bird for that matter.
 
The hawks were after mine when they were smaller. Full size now and no recent issues.

They still run and hide every time a large bird flies overhead.
For some reason they freak out when a flock of crows is nearby.
 
That sucks. I lost 6 to a fox last year. I try to keep an eye on them when they're free ranging, but stuff happens despite our best efforts.
Good luck with your chicks.
 
Haven't seen the hawks lately, coyote grabbed a chicken Saturday though, didn't see him grab it but were short a bird when we put them away. He came up behind rock wall while I had the dogs out maybe 30' away didn't even see him (open field no less only few trees along wall) until he poked his head over wall. Luckily dogs didn't see him either or they would have tried to play, yelled for them to go in house and chased the yote off, big sucker. He didn't care about me chasing him either, he came through the day before and I chased him off then too. Hes getting shot for that chicken next time I see him.
 
if it has not been suggested get a few geese,They are great alarm systems and all we had got along fine with chickens.They also put up a hell of a fight for a bird.
 
In the last 5 years, I had one encounter with a hawk.
The hens were in the fenced run with roof.
The hawk was sitting on the support over the gate, and the hens were freaking out.
I "scared" the red tail away.
I later heard he died of lead poisoning.
RIP Chicken Hawk
 
So I lost a hen today, my favorite one too. Went out to the coop and she was dead on the floor on her side. She was 1 year old, no obvious signs of trauma. Could it have been the heat? They have feed and water and free run of the yard for shade. I have not noticed any signs other than they look as hot as me the past few days. Any thoughts? The others all look fine. I buried her so she's not getting an autopsy. She was starting to smell pretty bad by the time I found her.
 
Our neighbor had one die, and he said sometimes an egg will break inside them, and kill them.
 
Mattyweb said:
So I lost a hen today, my favorite one too. Went out to the coop and she was dead on the floor on her side. She was 1 year old, no obvious signs of trauma. Could it have been the heat? They have feed and water and free run of the yard for shade. I have not noticed any signs other than they look as hot as me the past few days. Any thoughts? The others all look fine. I buried her so she's not getting an autopsy. She was starting to smell pretty bad by the time I found her.
Click to expand...

Could have been, the 3 I have left are older and I really wasn't expecting them all to make it after this run. If it was egg bound its noticeable for a bit, they get weak first.
 
Lost 3 more on Saturday morning. Went to let the dog out the front door at 7:30 and found a dead one on the doorstep. Searched around and found another, headless and gutted at the back of our yard by the tree-line. A third has not returned home with no evidence of her demise. All three were different breeds so based on where all the feathers are I can somewhat estimate what happened.
It looks like whatever got them got into the coop. We have an automatic door that opens on a light sensor. Opened at 7am. Feathers from the one at the front door are all over the coop. The one in the back yard by the tree-line looks like she bought it out front by the other and was carried off and dropped out back. I have thoroughly searched for the third one and cant find a single feather.

So, thoughts on what this was? One neighbor has seen a coyote recently, another neighbor's kid says he saw a fox that morning. The remaining four hens are locked up for now but can still exit to a penned area when the door opens at 7. I've been sitting watch with a 10/22 from a second story window with a good view of the coop the past few mornings but haven't seen anything yet. The door to the coop is small, chicken sized so I am thinking maybe fox. There has also been a fischer cat around too but I have not heard him in a while. Thoughts and advice?
 
Something will show up once it had a taste of meat. Even if you chase it off it will come back unless you tree it and scare the hell out of it. You need to kill it or at least find out who owns it sounds like it could be a dog. Someone mentioned getting a goose of two. Those grey ones get pretty protective when the imprint with the flock. Mean and nasty and make noise that should help you figure out when a predator is around
 

Similar threads

Always carry your gear - lost hunter found...
Replies
22
Views
1K
P-14
P-14
Anyone Use a .50 cal ammo can as a...
2
Replies
34
Views
4K
enbloc
enbloc
WTS: (Price Drop 5/20) Freeze Dried Food
Replies
3
Views
833
RLBreton
RLBreton
(ENDED) Free Books 8/5 & 8/6 Only
Replies
12
Views
5K
neum69
neum69
Walmart - Rindge NH - Food Grade 5 gallon buckets >$3
Replies
0
Views
1K
GM-GUY
GM-GUY
Back
Top Bottom