Hawk!
We have now lost three laying hens--to hawks, we think.
We lost one a week or so ago, and two today. 13yo daughter heard something strange in the chicken yard vicinity, went to check it out, and a hawk flew away. She saw another one nearby, too. Upon investigation, she found two dead hens.
Joel Salatin uses geese to protect his hens from overhead predators. We may have to get some, but I'd like them now, and big enough that they'd be of use.
May have to get more layers, too!
On another note, we do have a rooster, now, courtesy of family friends. He's a handsome, young Buff Orpington, and hopefully, we'll eventually raise our own chicks. That may also influence getting more layers, and the breed we get.
On another side note, the broiler chicks are doing well. We had another one with leg problems last week, but a couple or three days in ICU healed him up, and he's back with the others in the chicken tractor.
Mary Susan
We lost one a week or so ago, and two today. 13yo daughter heard something strange in the chicken yard vicinity, went to check it out, and a hawk flew away. She saw another one nearby, too. Upon investigation, she found two dead hens.
Joel Salatin uses geese to protect his hens from overhead predators. We may have to get some, but I'd like them now, and big enough that they'd be of use.
May have to get more layers, too!
On another note, we do have a rooster, now, courtesy of family friends. He's a handsome, young Buff Orpington, and hopefully, we'll eventually raise our own chicks. That may also influence getting more layers, and the breed we get.
On another side note, the broiler chicks are doing well. We had another one with leg problems last week, but a couple or three days in ICU healed him up, and he's back with the others in the chicken tractor.
Mary Susan
posted by The Bradshaws at 6:20 PM
3 Comments:
I have been told by my wife and children that our rooster watches out for dangers to the hens and when danger is perceived he heards them into the pole shed or under our vehicles in the driveway. We have had a lot of hawks fly over hunting but not lost any yet. This may be more to the many trees we have for cover than the rooster protecting them. At any rate, your new rooster might help with the safety of the hens.
Another interesting thing our rooster does is call a hen over to eat a goodie (bug) he dug up in the yard. I would not believe that if I had not witnessed it with my own eyes. Chickens are very interesting creatures and the layer varieties can be smart with a lot of personality. I will never say that meat chickens are smart.
Hawks can be a real problem.
As far as roosters, we too have had some very protective roosters. We even had one that did Lamaze with the hens as they were laying eggs. They would holler and he would imitate them. It cracked us up.
Farm Girl,
Our roosters also go around cackling after the hens lay their eggs. Do you think the Lord created them that way because he has a sense of humor, because there is something practical about it or both?
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