Bird killed yesterday- other chixx traumetized??

[seattlechixx]

Hi Folks- SeattleChixx here, its been while. Up till yesterday everything had been going great. Yesterday my husband was taking a nap around 1pm, it was a sunny fall day. He heard a loud bang that woke him up and went outside to find our little blue silkie dead with a wound on it's neck. We assume the bird had been dropped from one of our large pine trees [60 feet and higher] in our back yard. Later in the day we saw a big bird of prey flying around with a bunch of loud crows squawking loud behind it. It was white with kind of greyish spots and large wing span. We think it was an immature eagle or some kind of hawk. Anyhoo- thats how we know it was killed by a bird of prey. My question is- the other 5 birds [one silkie, a polish, a barred, a rhode is and ameraucana] were traumatized and hiding in all parts of the yard we found them and put them in the hen house.Mornings they are usually in their run and squawking to get out to free range. Not today- they are in the house without a peep. How long will they be scared like this? What should I do from now on- only let them out in the yard when they can be watched? Should I get some fake owls and what to do in general, this is our first killed bird and our whole family is sad. Are our birds in mourning or just scared? Sorry its like a member of the family just got ripped out of our hands- please give me some advice. Thanks...Seattlechixx

 

[TurtleChick]

had a hawk scare us (and the girls!!!) a couple of weeks ago - fortunately, the girls all made it to cover, but it scared me when i walked out there and a hawk flew away!!!

sorry for your loss! and i'll be keeping tabs on your post for ideas at my house, too!

 

[seattlechixx]

Thanks for your kind thoughts. We are all taking this harder then we ever thought. It was just so unexpected. And she was secretley everyone's favorite bird. She was the littlest one of course. And she was starting to act like she was about to lay
soon. They're all due to lay around thanksgiving time. Keep
your birds safe!! We thought we might have seen a big bird in
our backyard a few weeks ago-- they were probably scoping it
out... it will come back!!

 

[crzychickenlady]

Your other birds are on alert and on guard.

I had the same thing happen to my flock awhile back.

The hawk came down and got one of my hens, from the looks of my yard she fought him almost all the way to the run and that is where he pinned her down and was pecking at her.
We ran out and it took a minute to get it off of her and chase it away.
I could have sworn that she(my hen) was was dead. went to pick her up and she took off like a shot into the coop and hid.

The rest of the birds were hidden all over the yard and in the coop.

My girl survived, thank god!

The whole flock was on guard for weeks after the incident, they would come out ONLY when I was outside to watch out for them. Every time a sparrow would fly over, or the wind wo9uld blow strong, they would take cover.
They are better now when I let them out, but I think the event traumatized them for awhile.


BTW, this hawk has been in and out of the area and was spotted just yesterday perched on the swingset as if taunting me......

 

[LittleHouseDreams]

No advice really but I am very sorry for your loss.:aww I just lost one of my girls to my dog and now have some serious dog training ahead of me. Maybe this incident will help your girls to be more wary now that they know of the danger. I know that my girls seem to be on the look out for the dog now.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsHawksOwls.html

 

[seattlechixx]

thanxx everyone 4 yuour support will update u all soon-'
buying some owls juss fer da heck of it tomorrow too
xo:/

 

[bheila]

I had the same thing happen to 2 of my pullets last Spring. It made me sick to my stomach to pull into my driveway and see a hawk in my pasture sitting on top of one of my girls killing her. I then made the decision to fence my chickens in an area 50'x100' and then I put net over half of it. I still let my flock free range but only if I'm out with them and the dogs are out too. My whole flock was so terrified for weeks they wouldn't even come out of the coop. My chickens know now that when the hawks fly above that they'd better run like crazy and they do, right back under the netting. Sometimes they even run from airplanes. I'm really sorry that you had to experience the loss of your girl this way. :aww