Foolish hawk vs fierce hen

Looking back to find my old post about the Cooper’s hawk attacking chickens in the chicken yard, it is hard to believe that it has been 3 1/2 years since I last had issues with a hawk. It seems so much more recent! You might remember that after that hawk incident, I hung shiny tape and CDs all over the chicken yard, and Gary strung yards and yards of fishing line back and forth across the yard, to discourage hawks from flying in. Eventually, after getting tired of tangling myself up in the fishing line, I rearranged the chicken yard to make it possible to put an aviary net over the top. The net does not completely exclude the possibility of a hawk entering, but it does make it nearly impossible for a hawk to fly out, which presumably discourages them from entering. I guess 3 1/2 year without a hawk visit in the yard would suggest it is working pretty well. Not that we haven’t had chicken challenges, but our most recent chicken issues have been related to our own dog, fox and coyote, not birds of prey.

However, a few weeks ago, while the chickens were free ranging, I walked out to attend to the goats and startled a hawk up off the driveway. I have 6 young chickens in the flock right now, prime targets for a hawk. Following the hawk sighting, three of the youngsters were AWOL for an hour or so. Fortunately, when everyone came out of hiding at bedtime, no chicks or chickens were missing! I kept the chickens in for a few days, but after that we returned to our routine, ie the chickens get to come out to free range/forage after I bring the dogs back from our afternoon walk. Then, a few days ago, coming home from an afternoon dog walk, I heard some unusual noises from the chicken coop. Since the chickens had not been let out yet, I figured whatever was stirring them up, they should be safe. When I could see the chicken yard, I noted that there were no chickens waiting at the gate, a good indicator that something had spooked them. As I approached the yard to see what might be up, a Cooper’s hawk launched itself off the ground INSIDE the yard, hit the apiary net and flapped unhappily back down. A Cooper’s hawk is a relatively small bird, but from prior experience, I knew it was capable of killing or injuring my chickens! A quick look around the yard suggested that the hawk had not done any harm…YET. I opened the gate so it could fly out, but the hawk was not happy to see me and did not do as I hoped. Instead, it went the other way, running through a small opening into another area of the yard, where it flew up and started battering itself against the aviary net. I guess I should not have been surprised since I was standing in the middle of its escape route! It might had made the most sense to just walk away from the open gate and give the hawk some time to figure out it could safely leave, but at that moment, all I was thinking was I wanted it away from my chickens. My goal was to get the hawk outside the yard and leave the chickens inside. I closed the gate and headed for the house to put on a heavy coat and gloves, so I could safely try to catch the hawk and remove it from the yard. As I came back out, I heard frantic clucking form the chicken yard. Thinking that the hawk had taken advantage of my absence to hunt chickens, I ran to the yard! Much to my surprise, what I found instead was the mama hen engaged with the hawk, loudly scolding and challenging it each time it dropped down from the aviary net. If I was going to get the hawk, I needed the hen to stand down! I opened the gate again, this time allowing the chickens to leave the yard. Mama hen made her escape, calling her youngsters out from under the coop to join her. As the rest of the chickens exited the yard, I was able to trap the hawk in a far corner, grab it and carry it out. I asked Gary to take a picture for identification (and posterity).

I explained to the hawk that it owed me and therefore was expected to stay away from my chickens and then let it go. I doubt its English skills are sufficient to understand my instructions, but I am hoping that the experience was enough to discourage it from future chicken hunting in my neck of the woods.