[Rubellite]

Next door tells me that a buzzard was flying over my chicken pen today.    I haven't seen it. Would a buzzard attack a full size chicken?
My girls are safely netted in at the moment but I have been investigating electrified poultry fencing with a view to letting them have more freedom. If the nasty buzzard wants to eat my girls I won't be able to do that. Any ideas?  :blink:

[madcat]

Buzzards are carrion eaters - its not really their thing to kill. They compete with crows and the like.  In the scale of things to worry about, they aren't in the top 100.   

[Big Jen]

There was a buzzard circling really low over my garden tonight and my little Dutch bantams were out on the lawn. I am sure it was after them. They are only the size of pigeons and I think Buzzards eat pigeons dont they?
Anyway I got them all in pretty fast

BJ

[mrs.ploppy]

Buzzards are big enough to take a full grown rabbit so I would think about a net cover.  Last year, in my horse paddock, I had one of the wild rabbits I got to know taken by a buzzard.  Or yo could put up long strands of wire as they need a good take off and if obsticles in the way they may hunt somewhere else.  Like foxes they take thier opertunities where they can especially when hungry or feeding young.  A large plastic owl or the like would make it seem like another birds teritory.

[Rubellite]

Just Googled

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/buzzard.asp

[Rubellite]

I think I'd like to watch it myself to study it's behaviour.
Not entirely happy with the idea of it keeping it's beady eye on my girls!

[Aunt Sally]

The Raptor Foundation seem to sugest that they would not be a danger to chooks

http://www.raptorfoundation.org.uk/commonbuzzard.html

[Ice]

We have lots of buzzards around here and they have never been a problem.  My brother keeps turkeys and hens and has never lost one to them.  It really spooks them when they fly overhead but that is because their silhouette causes panic.

[Foxy]

we have loads of buzzards, they do spook the chooks but they have never taken one.

[Aunt Sally]

My chooks shout EAGLE when the see a helicopter 

[mumofstig]

When I lived in Greece a buzzard took one of my little cats. I saw it come down in the olive grove and grab it

[Rubellite]

My chooks shout EAGLE when the see a helicopter 

 

[Rubellite]

When I lived in Greece a buzzard took one of my little cats. I saw it come down in the olive grove and grab it

Goodness me

[Roll Roll]

Buzzards fly over our garden every day and the girls are never bothered. Yet herons spook them all the time, only due to their size.

[Rubellite]

I've ordered the leccy fencing.  Will hope the nasty buzzard stays away.