The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 09:02:52 am

Title: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 09:02:52 am
Think I've lost 4 now - just brought in another 25 so I dont want to be losing my good layers.  What can I do?  Is there are kite flying kit that works? Anyone have experience of what works before it wipes out my flock?
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: kelly58 on October 14, 2015, 09:17:37 am
Strange, you sure its a buzzard ? They usually eat carrion.  We have buzzards and they have never touched ours chucks ?
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 09:22:48 am
I havent seen them but have been told by a few experienced people that the evidence is there.  Whether its a buzzard or hawk - just need to find a deterrent as they are free range.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on October 14, 2015, 09:23:17 am
I'm amusing that you are sure its the buzzard? I have a buzzards nest at the very edge of my land and what with them and the red kites circling my hens are always running for cover. They are big birds and seem to take advantage of poultry in the open so free cover, netting on a pen etc seems to help.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 10:12:01 am
Well its something big as its killing them and eating the breast meat on the ground - I was told it was a buzzard by two others however Im not really bothered who it is I am looking for ways of stopping it.  I cant net over it is a free range organic system on a moveable caravan system.  This problem has only started 4 weeks ago.  I am looking to see if the Pro Hawk Kites work as a deterrent.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 10:16:31 am
Can I also assume that have tree coverage would stop this?  I dont have any fields with mass tree cover only on the perimeter.  If I put a small goat shed type of thing in the area would they be more likely to run to this or is it too late?  We are (fingers crossed) having a solar farm built which would provide good coverage.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Somewhere_by_the_river on October 14, 2015, 10:22:19 am
As you are in SE Wales I would say it's more than possible it's goshawk (OH got amasing footage of one just the other day in the Towy valley). If as you say you can't cover the area it's a bit tricky. OH suggested trying scarecrows (could be fun if nothing else!) as goshawks are rather people shy...
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 14, 2015, 10:23:50 am
Difficult to dissuade buzzards once they know where the restaurant is.  Our neighbour had a similar problem with buzzards coming down into the farmyard and taking growers one year, even though there were six sheepdogs in the yard.  Predatory birds often pluck their prey before eating.  Is this happening?  Otherwise might it be polecat, mink, ferret or stoat?
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: sabrina on October 14, 2015, 10:28:21 am
I had a buzzard take two of my young Indian Runner ducks and  a friend ended up building runs for his chickens as the buzzards were picking them of each morning as soon as he let them out.They were some small breed that he bred to sell.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on October 14, 2015, 10:37:49 am
It could very well be a bird of prey and the buzzards and kites here have killed my neighbours blackrocks and lesft them just as you describe. So Im not disputing your theory. So far they have only killed wood pigeon on my land and have a very distinctive style as described.




Sounds like netting isnt an option then.... :thinking:


I have lots of buildings, fencing, trees. garden furniture, shrubs,  orchard etc and suspect ( I may be proved wrong ) That they dont find it easy to hunt in this kind of "cluttered" environment. If they dive bomb a hen and end up ploughing into a tree branch, pig wire or a cast iron table leg they will be seriously injured. So I think this kind of environment gives some protection to my hens.


When they circle and screech the hens dart for cover so I think anything that makes hunting harder for the birds to target their prey would help. 



Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Cosmore on October 14, 2015, 10:56:07 am
Just a suggestion, try some stakes or thin poles around 5/6 feet high in the ground about 20 or so feet apart, run a line between them and hang quite a few old CD or DVD discs on the line so they glitter and move in the wind, it may deter the predators.

We have a lot of buzzards round here, we often see them circling on the thermals for hours but they've never bothered our chickens - the geese probably put them off. We have had the occasional shrew/vole or field mouse dropped on our lawns when they lost their grip!
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 14, 2015, 11:28:38 am
Good suggestion about the CDs. We had crows coming into the lambing shed and raiding the hayracks for eggs (never did manage to train those hens to use a nestbox) and hung CDs and bunches of strips of tinfoil from the beams across the entrance, which worked.  The tinfoil waves about in the slightest breeze.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Clansman on October 14, 2015, 12:36:17 pm
I am a falconer so have a bit of experience here  ;D

Is the chicken being plucked first? Large amount of feathers around?

There are many different birds of prey and other predators that could be killing them, if only the breast is being removed and you are only losing one bird per week then it sounds like quite a small predator, stoats/weasel around?

It's obviously too small to move the kill to a safe place.

a buzzard would probably eat a fairly large amount and if you left the carcass out it would probably clear it in 2 or 3 days.

If it is a bird of prey you either need to remove the food source or get a larger predator around, dogs are good, and a large plastic owl etc may work.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 14, 2015, 01:24:26 pm
thanks all food for thought on this. Like the CDs idea plenty of kids ones around.


The predator has done some plucking and the flesh area nicely eaten.  There is a big electric fence around the site.


I havent any evidence of poles, stoats etc around here and the egg marketing man (prev a chicken farmer) was convinced it was a buzzard but it could be any hawks as there are quite a few around and prev over the years we have lost big birds.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Sbom on October 14, 2015, 01:36:11 pm
My mum has had a buzzard killing her Guinea fowl, caught it in the act twice!
She shut remaining ones up for a week or two so hopefully it'll forget.......
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Louise Gaunt on October 14, 2015, 02:01:56 pm
I have driven a buzzard off one of my hens whilst it was plucking her breast prior to eating the flesh. She survived, but two others didn't. I put up poles with CDs attached, then had to add a fairly dense network of strings as it was getting in between the poles. Since adding the strings I haven't (over two years now) had any more trouble.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Backinwellies on October 14, 2015, 03:06:03 pm
My hen run looks like it should be in the Himalayas ... strings across with plastic sac ties along each ....... this was after a Buzzard attach .... yes I know it was a buzzard .... caught it in the act when it came back to finish its meal the following morning ..........  buzzards like to have a clean swoop to a kill so anything making this difficult will help. .... 
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Porterlauren on October 14, 2015, 08:54:53 pm
Anyone who thinks Buzzards are just carrion eaters has been well and truly taken in by RSPB propaganda and is extremely naive and possibly a little blind to whats around them!

Too many of them and they should be culled!
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: chrismahon on October 15, 2015, 09:00:57 am
In Staffordshire the local free range chicken farm lost far hens more to Buzzards than Foxes. Here we have Red Kites, Black Winged Kites and Buzzards. We have erected free standing tripod post arrangements inside the runs to disrupt possible flight paths, which so far has been completely successful. Simply cut willow lengths and tie them together at one end. However we did have a Sparrowhawk swoop down around the tripod and attempt to take out a Leghorn Bantam cock. At the last moment it realised he was behind chicken wire and made an amazing climb to just avoid being shredded.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: oor wullie on October 15, 2015, 01:41:18 pm
I wonder if buzzards behave differently in different places (perhaps depending on what natural food sourced there are).

Some people are obviously having trouble with them.

We have resident buzzards a few hundred meters away who have never shown any interest in any of our hens.
When we first got hens they ran for cover when red kites circled low but now they have learned they are not a threat the hens dont even look up.

Our hens are free range and some don't even come into the hut at night, even the chicks that are running about dont get bothered by birds of prey.

Pretty much all birds of prey will choose to eat carrion (even eagles), hunting is risky (it might get hurt itself - even a hen might get lucky and injure an eagle!). If there is no carrion they will hunt - even a hungry hen would hunt smaller prey if it had to.  I once heard of an eagle that managed to get a collie dog off the ground - that must have been a starving bird to think about trying to kill a dog!
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Clansman on October 15, 2015, 03:40:47 pm
Yep will all depend on how hungry they are.

They've been getting easy pickings the last few months with all the young rabbits etc running around but now its getting colder and the main prey species are older and harder to catch they'll pretty much go for anything that moves once they're really hungry.

The smaller daylight window as we get into the winter months means they have only 8 hours or so if they're lucky in which to hunt compared with double that in summer months and with the cold they need to eat a lot more so a chicken is a pretty easy target.

I spoke to a woman last year who had her entire flock of chickens wiped out by Red Kite, the supposed carrion eaters, they'll all take the easy option when they can but if hungry then all bets are off ;)


Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: South Devon on October 18, 2015, 09:06:40 am
i lost my entire flock of chickens (eight in total) to a bird of prey back in the Spring. 3 carcasses were missing from the area (encircled by electric fence) whilst 4 were left and the final one had to be dispatched due to horrific injuries. The top (back) of the birds had been opened up (2 to 3 inch incision) and the meat taken inside - identical pattern for each. I assume it was a buzzard because we have lots around and are frequently seen perching nearby. I have now re-stocked and dragged in to the pen an old apple tree which I have covered in very large camo netting, this provides the birds with a lot of overhead protection and dappled shade in the summer - they spend a lot of time in there. To date it may have worked because buzzards are frequently keeping a eye on the setup - but to date so far so good. I think it is only a matter of time before they have another go but in the meantime my birds are happy and the eggs are superb. Good luck.   :chook:
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: darkbrowneggs on October 18, 2015, 09:37:43 am
Yep will all depend on how hungry they are.

They've been getting easy pickings the last few months with all the young rabbits etc running around but now its getting colder and the main prey species are older and harder to catch they'll pretty much go for anything that moves once they're really hungry.

The smaller daylight window as we get into the winter months means they have only 8 hours or so if they're lucky in which to hunt compared with double that in summer months and with the cold they need to eat a lot more so a chicken is a pretty easy target.

I spoke to a woman last year who had her entire flock of chickens wiped out by Red Kite, the supposed carrion eaters, they'll all take the easy option when they can but if hungry then all bets are off ;)


I had buzzards living round my place for years  Mum (chicken keeper in the 30's) always warned me they could take chickens.  I too believed the 'carrion' theory - not sure why as I have regularly seen them strike rabbits in the field, still as is said the RSPB does an excellent manipulation job and believe there own stories also.


Then after about 15 years of chicken keeping buzzards suddenly started taking stock - seen with own eyes more than once.  Previously my flock was pretty free range so a lot of it especially the smaller growers had to be wired and have covered rooves to protect them.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: darkbrowneggs on October 18, 2015, 09:47:05 am
PS - where I had larger birds such as Marans needing bigger enclosures I dotted around several pallets on blocks so hens could run for cover - but you need a cockerel with them.  He will watch nearly all the time and sound the alarm if a large bird is seen flying overhead.  I can mimic the call very effectivley and the hens would all react.  The other alarm call is for predator in the grass in which case they all run off and scatter..
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Backinwellies on October 18, 2015, 09:50:35 am
PS - where I had larger birds such as Marans needing bigger enclosures I dotted around several pallets on blocks so hens could run for cover - but you need a cockerel with them.  He will watch nearly all the time and sound the alarm if a large bird is seen flying overhead.  I can mimic the call very effectivley and the hens would all react.  The other alarm call is for predator in the grass in which case they all run off and scatter..

We all need a recording of your buzzard call  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: chrismahon on October 18, 2015, 11:08:10 am
Its a high pitched whine. A growl is for a lower predator.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 18, 2015, 11:59:47 am
Buzzard numbers used to be controlled by gamekeepers.   Usual story - ban control and numbers explode.  We live across the valley from a wildlife reserve and no adders, grass snakes or slow worms have been seen there for three years.  Few people are that enthusiastic about snakes and lizards but they have their place in the grand scheme of things, surely.  Buzzards are considered the likely cause and numbers have increased dramatically - 8 overhead yesterday.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: darkbrowneggs on October 23, 2015, 01:23:32 pm
PS - where I had larger birds such as Marans needing bigger enclosures I dotted around several pallets on blocks so hens could run for cover - but you need a cockerel with them.  He will watch nearly all the time and sound the alarm if a large bird is seen flying overhead.  I can mimic the call very effectivley and the hens would all react.  The other alarm call is for predator in the grass in which case they all run off and scatter..

We all need a recording of your buzzard call  :thumbsup:


The danger overhead is a long drawn out and falling note.  Listen and you will hear it.  Danger in the grass is an excited clucking rather like the 'I've laid an egg' call but a bit more uneven and agitated.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: lord flynn on October 23, 2015, 02:15:03 pm
I was familiar with the difference between the ground predator alarm and the air predator alarm calls-or I thought I was. A couple of years ago during a squally snow shower I heard the most unearthly noise coming from the chickens in my garden-I had not heard them make anything like it before. A hen harrier was perched on a pallet that I use for shelter for the chickens. Both my older Scots Grey cockerel and his son were going mad at this bird, who flew off when I opened the front door. I dont think the harrier was after the hens but after the small birds that are attracted by the chicken food.

The resident crows keep my place clear of buzzards but although I've never seen the harrier again we have peregrines in the area and have regular visits by sparrowhawks (have seen a sparrowhawk take a big woodpigeon on the ground) and had a young merlin out there a couple of weeks ago.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: devonlady on October 24, 2015, 06:56:01 am
A neighbour who breeds Tamworth pigs had a newborn litter (outdoor bred and reared) heard a piglet squealing frantically one morning, ran outside, couldn't see it and looked up to see it being carried away by one of our resident buzzards!!
My dear little bantam, Violet was killed a few days ago by a local sparrow hawk (Vi was the size of a pigeon and a special friend
The hawks have every right to be here and can't tell the difference between rabbit, livestock and pet so nothing you can do!
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 24, 2015, 09:15:35 am
When we kept guinea fowl they were exceptionally good at spotting buzzards and would give the alarm call well before the other poultry realised there was a problem.  None of our birds are free-ranging at present as we have a very bold fox that's been seen near the farmyard on a nuber of occasions in the daytime.  The chap who controls vermin on the common land near us has shot 40 so far this year, some of the males castrated, and our neighbour has shot 14, so they've been dumped from a town or city - that is far in excess of the number this area would normally support.
Title: Re: losing laying hens to a buzzard
Post by: farmers wife on October 25, 2015, 02:47:38 pm
Ive just had another attack but started a new thread!!!