[chook mother]

Do I have cause for concern, I have just taken my dog for a walk by the neighbouring field to my garden and have seen what appears to be a buzzard eating a pigeon on the ground, yesterday there were lots of feathers stroon around my bird table l  thought something had attacked my chooks but on closer examination they appear to be pigeon feathers, do buzzards attack chickens if so what can I do to prevent this.

[joyfull]

yes they would  , if you are sure it was a buzzard then I would make sure your hens have an enclosed and covered run for protection.

[chook mother]

We  do have buzzards around here and they are getting more numourous every year they have moved down from the wooded areas, my chickens have a small enclosed run which is inside of an electric fenced enclosure the door to the covered run is open so that then can get in or out they do go in if something scares them, I really dont know what to do now is there anything that scares buzzards I do have a dog but she isnt out all the time

[ehs284]

Yes, we have a lot of buzzards and did lose a chook last year. Since then we've moved the coop so it's near some trees and put a taller fence around the coop - can't do anything when they go walkabouts, but when at home they're safer because the buzzards need to swoop down and fly out so need an approach without obstructions. The chooks seem to realise this and retreat to the protected area when the buzzards get too close. Our best defence actually comes from the crows which chase off the buzzards. Funnily enough the crows are afraid of the chooks and indeed the chooks will attack a crow which gets too close.

[cluckingnuts]

I have Buzzards here but never had any problem with them.  Recently some Crows have realised that by ganging up they can hold down a hen and peck them to death then disebowel them.  I shot 4 and so far that seems to have ended the problem.

[tosca100]

I would think there would be more problems with Sprrowhawks taking chicks than rather clumsy Buzzards. And yesterday a friend saw a Jackdaw kill a fledgeling blackbird.

[Debz]

My understanding is that buzzards are more opportune feeders and will generally eat road kill and smaller creatures.  Your chickens are more likely to be attacked by a sparrowhawk who will take on just about anything.  I have seen them take out woodpigeons at full flight.

[madcat]

Particularly when they have hungry chicks of their own to feed.  Nature's food pyramid looks cruel sometimes - but each has to look after their own young.   

[8doubles]

I agree with Debz , buzzards are fairly slow opportunist feeders and might catch a sick pigeon but rarely if ever a fit one. Baby rabbits and earthworms are more common buzzard food items.

Having said that nature is full of suprises and i have seen rooks pecking a white pigeon to death. If i hadn`t stopped for a good look i would have said they were carrion crows.

It is unlikely that any UK bird of prey will bother a full grown hen , our local sparrowhawk tends to eat prey up to the size of collared doves .

[Ribbit]

Are buzzards able to eat larger fowl? We have a few in our area, and I have noticed them looking at the chooks. We are lucky that we have a rookery near so the rooks chase them off.

[hillfooter]

We too have Buzzards which are lovely birds to watch soaring in the sky.  I've never had a problem with them taking chx.  Though there's obviously some one round here who is a Buzzard hater as last year we found the pair shot and so far this year we've found one poisoned we believe.  If I knew who was doing this I'd shop them.  They are protected birds and unless you have chicks or bantams in exposed runs I doubt you'll have a problem.  They need open ground to swoop over to launch an attack generally so trees and high fences will deter them.  We also have sparrow hawks whose usual line of attack is to swoop low along hedgerows hoping to catch small prey and other birds unawares.  Never had a problem with birds of prey though theoretically they can be a threat.

Don't be over concerned and enjoy watching them.
HF

[Alby]

I had a Harris Hawk take out one of my cream legbars !! Actually saw the bl**dy thing dive for it but to late to help. It was with its "falconeer " who appologised profusely , and agreed to stay well away in futur  We,ll see ( gun at the ready )

    Alby

[hillfooter]

Are there any other birds of prey which hover other than Kestrel?  We ocassionally see such birds which look too big to be kestrels and we wonder if they are escapees from a local (8 miles or so)  Bird of Prey centre. 

I'm sure there must be a few Harris Hawks in the wild given their popularity for falconry though can't say I've ever seen any.
HF

[Sassy]

I've been told that the kestrel is the only bird in the UK to hover - don't know about non-indigenous escapees!

[NigelB]

I've been told that the kestrel is the only bird in the UK to hover - don't know about non-indigenous escapees!

It is indeed the only native bird of prey to hover.
We don't need to worry about Buzzards really. They prefer carrion to killing and are opportunistic feeders rather than hunters. I doubt they'd take a healthy chicken from a flock, although, as others have said, nature constantly surprises....
It's a small risk though, compared to Mr Fox, ferrets, cats and dogs.....


Now, Seagulls............ Different story altogether....
Horrible b****y things...