These are not my pictures, I didn't have my camera, these pictures
came off of the Google image search.
This morning,
I thought I would let my hens out to enjoy the cool of the morning.
When I opened the door to the coops, they just looked at me with the
look of deep sadness at my inability to not notice my surroundings.
I lifted my head and listened and I noticed no sound of sparrows,
Even the parrots were in the top of the cottonwoods being very silent.
I walked out and looked around looking for a hawk.
I couldn't see anything and made my chickens get out of the coops.
My thinking being it is to early for the Sharp-Shinned hawks to be returning
to the winter hunting grounds. The chickens got almost on my feet they stayed so
close to me.
I walked out in the garden to turn the water on when I noticed that the Mockingbirds
were very upset. As my eyes traveled to what they were dive bombing I saw it was a hawk.
I should have went back in the house and got my camera, because it had no fear of me.
I walked up so close that it would have been a good picture. It flew off up into a tree, but
kept flying back down over my head. There was a flock of sparrows that it wanted to
have for breakfast. I stood there, finally being mad at me it flew off to the tree around my
chicken coop. I know that my big hens are to big but my bantam hens are so little
he would get them and my white silkie is just a target.
I ran across the pasture to my yard, my big hens
had got back in their pen and were hiding in the little house.
But what broke my heart was my little bantams were hiding under
the rabbit hutch and had flattened themselves to the ground. They were
so scared.
I walked around and I knew he was in the pine tree next to the coop but he was
being very quiet.
I caught each one of my bantams and put them in the coop, and as I walked away,
he started scolding me.
I know now that when I let my chickens out, I will have to stay out there
with them because Mr. Jim Hawkins has returned to his winter hunting grounds.
The crows are also returning it is so to see the secret signs of fall.
~Kim~
10 comments:
Oh wow, I wonder if we're going to have an early fall. We were out walking, and I heard sparrows doing their hawk warning. So I looked around just in time to see a kestrel dive out of a tree and swoop under a parked car where some sparrows were hiding. And this sparrow starts screaming, like, "REE REE REE!" A minute later the kestrel flew off without a sparrow, so I guess it got away after all.
But yeah. Have to babysit those poor chickens.
Apparently we need to listen to the chickens. We don't necessarily get that fall is just around the corner... but knowing how to read the signs is their life!
Blessings, Debbie
Hmmm, your chickens have good survival instincts. I'm glad the hawk was disappointed.
Arrggh, another sign of fall.
Kim
I, too, have seen the signs of fall. But I refuse to acknowledge them! I've only had summer for a few short weeks.
My DH and I just saw a hawk flying by with some poor critter in it's talons when we were driving to church Sunday. Too bad you have to stand guard over your chickens now. Are you a good shot by any chance. And I don't mean your camera!
I know it sounds harsh. But we had a horrible time with rabbits this spring. Tim shot a couple and left them lying in the yard to decay(until we couldn't stand the smell) and we couldn't get a bunny in our yard now if we begged it.
Do you remember Dr. Hook and how he used to dress in that chicken outfit while performing on "The Midnight Special"? Maybe you could rent one and fool that ol' hawk. If you take my advice, please get one of your children to get a shot of you for all of us, OK?
Always thinking-Kimberly
Oh goodness I thought this was going to end with "And before I could get back he had taken off with one of my chickens." So glad it didn't end like that! It's funny yet disgusting when the animals know what's going on and look at you like "You dumb human." I would get looks like that from Stan...
Great story! Love your header and I hope we don't have an early Fall!
oh yeah. he's got his internal GPS programmed for your address now! poor little hens!
So glad all those chickens are OK, animals know when somethings up don't they. (I was so afraid this story was going to end with the hawk making off with one of your chickens)
Those poor chickens! I'm so glad you got them safely put away! Animals are so much smarter than we give them credit for, aren't they?
I can't believe how fast fall is coming to your area. We have shorter days, but it's still very much summer here. Keep protecting those little hens.
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