Oriental Gamefowl Thread!

[mcrooke45]

well I was sitting here and my chickens just started screaming again so I went out and checked and the hawk was back trying to get in the pen. He won't try any more. I shot him. That makes 4 I shot this winter. They are everywhere here this winter.

 

[hellbender]

well I was sitting here and my chickens just started screaming again so I went out and checked and the hawk was back trying to get in the pen. He won't try any more. I shot him. That makes 4 I shot this winter. They are everywhere here this winter.

I'm pretty sure the extreme cold temps. in many areas has driven predators to take desperate tactics. I have dogs that keep my birds safe from land threats but a determined raptor might get through...I will be more watchful as spring eventually will certainly drive all predators to work hard for the survival of their young.

Good work on your last effort!

 

[troyer]

Careful guys, I believe it's a Federal crime to kill hawks. Do what you will, but then also be willing to take what's coming if you get found out.

 

[hellbender]

Careful guys, I believe it's a Federal crime to kill hawks. Do what you will, but then also be willing to take what's coming if you get found out.

Thank you Troyer, found out is one thing, caught is quite another. We learned a very long time ago to expect nothing from the federal government but trouble so, at least in this Valley, we will be very careful.

Thank you again.

Ron

 

[troyer]

I have lost several to hawks this winter also and it's usually the ones that I had chosen to keep as breeders, but because I am breeding for livability, hardiness, watchfulness and all around vigor it's almost good in one sense if the hawks do get the slow and weak ones, that way I don't propagate weakness. I am a strong believer of creating cover for my fowl if it's not already in place. If you would visit my farm in the summer, you might think it looks a bit unkempt because of all the tall grasses and weeds that I intentionally don't cut because it provides a refuge for the chickens from the hawks. I will even go as far as planting brambles and briars for cover, one plant that works great is what's called a multi-flower rose bush, (I don't know the Latin name for it) It is a wild growing bush type rose bush that the thorns on it point toward the base of the plant. It makes me wonder how the rabbits sometimes make their way through it, it is an excellent plant for hawk cover for any types of fowl as it doesn't seem to grab at their feathers like it does at the fur of the animals. The only reason that I believe the hawk doesn't go in after them is because he doesn't like the close confines that it provides. I would even build a low platform type of cover if I didn't already have wild growing cover for my fowl. Like I mentioned earlier, even with my good ground cover I still lose several birds a year, but as I continue breeding from the ones that don't get eaten I lose less each year.
Recently I hatched out 8 chicks from the incubator and have been very pleased with how they seem to instinctively dash for cover at any sound they think is scary, it tells me that it's possible to breed from the ones that survive and that they in turn will pass on the genetics that kept them alive. I also believe that not every chick hatched with those survivor genetics will be smart enough to evade the hawks all the time, bit it should cut the fatalities down to a minimum. Here where I live they are not anywhere close to going into extinction any time soon or even on the watch list (except for me

watching them)

P.S. I will do all I can to keep the hawks from getting any of my fowl and if I see a hawks coming in for a kill I'll run and try to chase it away, I know how frustrating it is to have them get my chickens and seemingly not be able to do anything about it,especially with the laws making it illegal to shoot/kill them.

 

[mcrooke45]

If it is after my chickens I don't care, I will shoot it. Be it hawk,coon,oppossum,cat, or dog. In the summer time my yard has plenty of cover. I have banana trees all over my yard but in the winter they die back down to the ground. I usually don't loose many in the summer time to hawks just the wintertime. I also have a lot of Pampas Grass in my yard for cover but I have large trees that surround my yard and the hawks perch and attack from there.

 

[hellbender]

If someone comes to my farm, you won't see even so much as a blackberry briar much less Rosa Multaflora because I have a herd of dairy goats that really take care of these pests.

I raise production birds and don't want them to be as flighty as grouse so I will continue to breed them with easygoing temperaments and I will also do whatever I feel necessary to protect them.

I suspect there are many folks who come to this thread who could be apt to break a law or two...especially those that might be contrary to their idea of sport and I support them.

I'm through with this subject but I leave it with the knowledge that I have the high moral ground and was born with more sense than a chicken....

 

[cubalaya]

I want my cubalayas to be able to forage and be watchful of predators but not be flighty. we believe in the 3s method for predators, whatever the predator after my livestock happens to be. shoot, shovel, shutup.

 

[Elbert Garrett]

Just some friendly advice....Don`t bury a Raptor on your property because of the outside chance it`s part of Raptor study that uses GPS tracking. If it stops moving, they want to know why.

 

[hellbender]

Just some friendly advice....Don`t bury a Raptor on your property because of the outside chance it`s part of Raptor study that uses GPS tracking. If it stops moving, they want to know why.

Certainly, that's well understood. Actually, sighting of these birds in this area is really quite rare, thanks to dedicated work over the last several years. In the rare instance that one might meet it's unfortunate end, they are generally given a 'Viking's Send Off' on a makeshift raft, down one of the nearby fast moving rivers.

We have had to deal with several kinds of problems over the years and have tried to keep one step ahead of the opposition.

Thank you. I really do appreciate your concern.

By the way....there are some birds that have total immunity...all of the Eagles.