Hawk Foiled

This morning, I let the chickens out to range as usual, cleaned out their nesting box, collected two eggs, put in more hay, gave them more food, and freshened their water. I scanned looking for a hawk that I’d seen nearby a few days ago–no sign. The sky was gorgeous–the little white clouds had a tinge of lavender in the dawn. So I walked back toward the house, was scraping chicken poo off my Crocs, when down came a hawk, right at the chickens. I screamed, and the hawk flew off. It was a blur as it happened, but I think the chickens ran as the hawk came down so it missed them and didn’t try again. They ran under the forsythia. I got my herding stick and led them quickly into their coop. They both looked fine, but Rose had one wing feather sticking out. Somehow I managed to catch her and spread out her wing and check her and she seemed fine, so I don’t think there are any cuts. We were all pretty shaken up. I gave them some cheese. That helped.

I may try to build a moveable range this weekend, out of PVC pipe and chicken netting, so I can still let the chickens out to forage and take dust baths but so they are safe from overhead attacks. Darn you, Nature!