Ok...Now on with the story.
I had heard stories from other farmers that predators can strike at any time and can seriously diminish a flock. Skunks, stray dogs,and the ever dreaded "Chicken Hawk" we're always mentioned.
Not being up on my bird species I thought a Chicken Hawk was a lowly sneaky form of Hawk, when in actuality is just only a Hawk. This lapse in knowledge would prove to be bothersome in the days to come.
Several weeks ago during a wonderful sunny morning, Gib ran into the greenhouse shouting, "Get the gun, get the gun, there is a Chicken Hawk after Thelma Lou" Anyone who knows me well knows I am terrified of guns and tender hearted to a fault with animals.
The Hawk had swooped down and if not for some low bushes Thelma Lou would have made quite the Chicken Dinner.
Protective impulse kicked in and I put in a request to Bob to sit patiently on the deck and wait for Mr. Leghorn to appear..and shoot him...simple enough in my book.
HOWEVER, after a funny post on Facebook about the soon to be demise of Mr. Leghorn, I received several texts, calls and emails warning me that it was against the law the kill a hawk. Uh oh!
I told Bob the next thing he would tell me was that Buzzards were protected as well..and guess what....they are, along with Crows!
Well, not to be outwitted by a bird, Bob and I devised a covering over the coop consisting of ropes criss crossing the run and some Vietnam war era Camo netting ovEr the whole thing, thereby giving the girls shade and protection as well as saving the protected Hawk.
Mr. Leghorn...your chicken dinner will have to come from somewhere else...try Colonel Sanders!
