Atilla-the-hen Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 When I let my chickens out the other day for their afternoon free-ranging, they all went back into the hen coup after 10 minutes which is most unusual, and they looked rather anxious. I then noticed a couple of buzzards circling overhead and wondered if anyone has had any injuries or fatalities to their chickens due to buzzards or other birds of prey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I'm not aware of anyone losing a full-size hen to a bird of prey, but there's no doubt the would take chicks if they saw them, and possibly bantams? Your hens will recognise the shape of a raptor overhead, and that's why they ran to hide themselves, it's an instinctive reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickanne Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Chickens certainly recognise their cries. Although buzzards will eat small birds (rooks, pigeons), voles and rabbits they are unlikely to go for your chooks in a smallish garden. They like big spaces and room to manouvre. At the end of summer they will be very common in the fields eating worms as they are ploughed up. I suspect you would have to be very unlucky to lose a chicne to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazard Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 i had a chick 10 weeks old snatched by a red kite last week it was my only pure white one too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I was going to post this last week. I have never known of chickens being taken by Buzzards but I had one swoop down by the back garden up again and just miss the house roof and sat in a tree. We have lots of them around here and not been bothered by them, last weeks incident did cause me concern though. We also have peregrines but they just go after the pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atilla-the-hen Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Thanks everyone for advice, I can relax now when buzzy buzzard flies over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atilla-the-hen Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 i had a chick 10 weeks old snatched by a red kite last week it was my only pure white one too Aww sorry to hear that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
