Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...

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shetan

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Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« on: July 28, 2010, 12:14 »
This is going to sound like a soap opera...but its all true! I will ask a question but I need to set the scene first so I do apologise for the long post.

I was sitting in the garden this morning minding my own business, watching the chicks potter around in their miniture coops, whilst drinking coffee and contemplating on whehter it was too early to let the pullets out (they tend to fill up on grass and blackberries instead of the pellets) when out of nowhere two kestrels swooped in and killed a pigeon and a dove respectively within seconds of each other.

The one that killed the dove landed in the garden with the bird screaming at it's feet, the other in the allotments behind the fence. The noise attracted a fox that tried to slink in through the fence.

All hell broke loose. The screaming got the cockerals going, the magpies with a nest next door were cackling unlike anything I've ever heard before, the dog chased off the fox and was barking through the fence and next door's (on the other side) dogs were barking at the commotion going on at my place!

So my question is this - Can kestrels kill chickens? I know they can take a rabbit without any problem and the chicks don't stand a chance but what about large heavy fowl? I usually let them have free range over the garden but am reluctant now...

any thoughts?
1 Husband, 3 German Shepherds, 3 Black Jersey Giants, 3 White Jersey Giants, 1 White Jersey Cross, 1Blue Buff Columbian Brahma, 2 Buff Columbian Brahma, 1 White Columbian Brahma,  3 Gold Brahmas, 2 Golden Quail, 2 Giant Continental Rabbits and a Sister!

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tycae

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2010, 12:50 »

Well I don't know about Kestrels but I think I lost a hen the other week to a Peregrine Falcon! Apparantly some birds of prey are very quick and do not need to be large to attack and take away a hen. I have decided that it is better to take a chance of this happening again rather than keep my girls cooped up in their run 24/7 which they hate. The whole point of having hens is to give them a happy, free-range life for as long as possible and there is nothing better than seeing them scoot around the garden looking for food and settling under a bush for a snooze.

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Beano

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2010, 13:18 »
Chickens are pretty good at spotting danger from above. Whenever the sparrowhawk comes into our garden, they very quickly scoot under some bush or other. They will scream loudly if a red kite swoops too low also. As for magpies, they hate them and will shout at the top of their lungs. I think they have pinched a few eggs in the past.
We never get kestrels in the garden but I should think that they would react the same with them as they do with any other bird of pray.
To tell you the truth I would be more worried about that fox!
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joyfull

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2010, 13:31 »
the fox is definitely the one to be more worried about - it will slink back  :(
Staffies are softer than you think.

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shetan

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2010, 13:49 »
Thanks for the replies guys.

The fox has too much to think about when he comes face to face with dog...like I've mentioned before - he's personally responsible to the death of 2 so far!

Foxes I've learnt to deal with but in over 5yrs of living here, I've never had the kestrel problem. I don't even know if they're wild or owed. There are Harris Hawks further up the road but they aren't let off in any urban area and have bells attached to their feet.

The speed with which they attacked was unbelievable! Won't be letting the rabbit out of her run any time soon either...but she prefers the indoors anyway!

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NormandyMary

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2010, 20:53 »
Ive lost a chick and a small hen to a bird of prey, not sure what type. We have loads and loads of them over here, though 2 instances in 4 years of keeping chooks isnt bad I think.

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Jeanette

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2010, 23:01 »
I woul definatly watch out for the fox. I had a little laugh when you put that your girls fill up on grass and blackberries whilst drinking coffee. I have never tried that with my girls.
This is going to sound like a soap opera...but its all true! I will ask a question but I need to set the scene first so I do apologise for the long post.

I was sitting in the garden this morning minding my own business, watching the chicks potter around in their miniture coops, whilst drinking coffee and contemplating on whehter it was too early to let the pullets out (they tend to fill up on grass and blackberries instead of the pellets) when out of nowhere two kestrels swooped in and killed a pigeon and a dove respectively within seconds of each other.

The one that killed the dove landed in the garden with the bird screaming at it's feet, the other in the allotments behind the fence. The noise attracted a fox that tried to slink in through the fence.

All hell broke loose. The screaming got the cockerals going, the magpies with a nest next door were cackling unlike anything I've ever heard before, the dog chased off the fox and was barking through the fence and next door's (on the other side) dogs were barking at the commotion going on at my place!

So my question is this - Can kestrels kill chickens? I know they can take a rabbit without any problem and the chicks don't stand a chance but what about large heavy fowl? I usually let them have free range over the garden but am reluctant now...

any thoughts?
[/quote]

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Sassy

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Re: Pretty sure this one's not been asked before...
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 08:50 »
I'm no expert on birds, but kestrels are quite small. Are you sure it was a kestrel? They usually go for small rodents.
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted!!



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