# Are black chickens less hawk-prone?



## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

I peruse the various chicken forums, and occasionally over the years someone posts that they notice hawks never get the black chickens. I am wondering if this is just coincidence, or if there is a real avoidance from hawks.
Perhaps they see them as raven-like instead?

I am thinking of adding some black Astralorps to my flock to see if the hawks avoid them.
Any experience or thoughts on this?
Thanks


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## 92utownxj (Sep 13, 2013)

I don't really know about black chickens, but I know I've had more hawks get white chickens than anything else. Based on that, darker could possibly be better for fewer hawk kills. I have more loses from hawks in the winter with snow on than at any other time. The part that is strange is I still lose the white chickens in the snow to hawks. 

This winter we have the chickens very close to the house but in the open. So far no loses to hawks, but we haven't really had much snow either.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

That was my observation. I had feral colonies set up in remote locations stocked with game chickens. I had some Hatch and some Sid Taylors at the time. Just stocked these places with my extras, let the hens raise whatever, rounded up excess in late summer. Their purpose was to scratch manure piles around barns and hopefully keep flies down some. But I noticed in these mixed flocks, the black ones survived. They would have clutches of chicks, some would be black, some would be BBR, some Brown Red. Had some blues at the one place. By fall, most of the ones left were black. One day I looked at a pile of scraps I had dumped out for the chickens. Four crows were working it. When my truck pulled up, three flew away and one of them cackled and walked into the barn to lay an egg. From a distance they look like crows. Crows are hard to catch, and pick on hawks. I always wondered if this wasn't why the black ones survived better.

That is for black game hens. I don't think a black australorp will pass for a crow, even at distance. You have to remember, these things had much of their wild instinct left intact. Capable of 100+ feet of sustained flight. Almost uncanny in their use of available cover, their alertness, and things like roost and nest site selection. I don't think BA will pull off any significant survivability with just black feathers.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Interesting, and makes sense RE the game hens, but one of the forum posts that intrigued me was a fellow who said he switched to all black astralorps because they didn't get bothered by the hawks. 

Anyone here with BAs here have that experience???

I wondered the same if the hawks perceived them as crows or ravens. Our rooster is very attentive to the crow/raven activity here, as they make a particular sound when a hawk is around and ravens come from all over and swarm like bees and harass the hawk.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

92utownxj said:


> I don't really know about black chickens, but I know I've had more hawks get white chickens than anything else. Based on that, darker could possibly be better for fewer hawk kills. I have more loses from hawks in the winter with snow on than at any other time. The part that is strange is I still lose the white chickens in the snow to hawks.
> 
> This winter we have the chickens very close to the house but in the open. So far no loses to hawks, but we haven't really had much snow either.


Yep, winter is the worse here for hawks -- I think their normal food source of rabbits and rodents are all hibernating so they zero in on the chickens.
My only white hen (auracona) is hyper alert when out foraging, and constantly darts from the coop to the palllet forts just forgaging briefly, then zooms for protection. She seems to know she's a predator target.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

Not in the snow. Har har.

Mine aren't hawk prone, no matter what color, because they are kept in a run with a mesh top.


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## Nathanaf8388 (Oct 25, 2013)

I have had game cock fight with hawks that tried to get them. Got me curious on the black chicken thing though


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

When my ex and I first got chickens we wanted a hardy, dual purpose breed. We couldn't agree so, we got half buff orps and half dark Cornish. I would recommend either. They both layed through the winters with no heat, didn't get broody but, set well when appropriate and all did well. However, the dark Cornish were greatly less predated in the field.


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

worried about hawks....put a fishing net over the chook pen..... no one steals your eggs and no one take your chickens either......put a support in the middle taller than the pen fence itself and drape net over and fix all around....I have one on mine and it is great..


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Jordie -- What a great idea ^^^
How large of an area did you cover, and where did you buy large swaths of fishing net?
We have used that black garden netting for small areas, and it works well except the leaves get caught in it during fall.

Vicker -- good news to hear the dark Cornish were less hawk-prone!


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## rcjo (Nov 26, 2015)

I have Black Australorps and have had no hawk losses for them, and my birds are free range with plenty of cover. 

However, I also had (HAD being the operative word) black Cayuga ducks and they were the worst for getting attacked by both hawks and owls. (Ducks tend to go in the coop later than chickens, so hence the owl activity.) Maybe because they do not at all look like a flight bird like a raven, and plus they are really slow. I had less problems with my Khaki Campbells that way, but still had a couple losses.


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## rcjo (Nov 26, 2015)

That is a great idea re: the fishing net! I looked on ebay and found one that is 28 x 50 feet for $99. Compare that to the price of flight netting and it is about a $600 savings! I just started with heritage turkeys this past spring, so was looking into flight netting for the pasture. 

Thanks for the idea!


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## Guest (Jan 1, 2017)

rcjo said:


> That is a great idea re: the fishing net! I looked on ebay and found one that is 28 x 50 feet for $99.


I'm looking on ebay and can't find one like that. What search terms do I need to use?


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

ladycat said:


> I'm looking on ebay and can't find one like that. What search terms do I need to use?


 50 by 28 fishing net 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-x-28-FIS...OCCER-BEACH-FOOTBALL-BASKETBALL-/370576973963 

You can do a google search for the same search words I used.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

I think the lighter color birds stick out more to predators.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

I had a hawk kill a white leghorn a few months back and a hawk knocked a BA RIR cross to the ground last week. My wife was close by and ran the hawk away. My chicken survived.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Okay, (sorry) I just checked on another poultry forum (BYC), and I don't think I can post a link here, but it's under their breed forum as the Jersey Giants (black) and tons of posters there say that because they are black and huge, they have no hawk or owl problems. The JG roosters get to 12 lbs and are apparently massive and great protectors.

Any Jersey Giant owners here?

Edit -- just finished reading all the JG posts, and someone had a rooster 14 lbs -- even dogs wouldn't mess with him. Looks like A good breed for us to start adding to our flock.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

I would think a hawk can still kill a jersey giant. 
The bigger the chicken, the more they eat. 
Maybe brown leghorns ?
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/brown-leghorn.html
"The Leghorn breed of chicken is very athletic, mature early, are hardy, non-sitters and lay very nice large/X large white eggs. Leghorns are good layers of white eggs, laying an average of 280 per year and sometimes reaching 300&#8211;320.They have a good feed-to-egg conversion ratio, needing around 125 grams per day of feed. This chicken breed is great for free range chicken farming or organic free range chicken eggs. Leghorns rarely exhibit broodiness and are thus well suited for uninterrupted egg laying. The Leghorn is a light breed that matures quickly and is not considered a viable meat producer. Leghorns are active and efficient foragers and are one of the best for free range chickens that can avoid predators."


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

I can personally attest to the fact that whoever wrote that about brown leghorns never turned loose any where there were hawks. Mine died like flies. Hawks would pick them out of flocks of white leghorns and assorted color chickens. The wild color pattern is what every predator is programmed to look for, grouse, quail, pheasant hen, wild rabbit. They will hit brown leghorns even when they aren't habituated to your chicken yard, every passing hawk recognizes them instantly as food, because of their color. Hawk eyesight is very good, it's not like they can't see a brown leghorn because of it's camouflage, only animals that freeze when they hear a hawk alert from a flock leader can use camo effectively. Leghorns are flighty and excitable, far from wary and stealthy. Instead of freezing in place, they are very prone to squawk and flap, drawing extra attention to themselves. The roosters are prone to lead the charge for the coop, being the first to safety, rather than assuming a defensive position, just as well, not likely that they could mount an effective defense anyway.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I recently lost 20 younger barred rocks to hawks and owls. They were about 3 months old when i set them free in the chicken yard . I now have 10 mixed young hens that will stay in the coop till they are full grown which is very sad for them.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

So sorry for your loss Sisterpine! 
Were owls getting them in the daytime, or were they outside at night?


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## Itsroger (Aug 28, 2015)

ladycat said:


> I'm looking on ebay and can't find one like that. What search terms do I need to use?


Check out The Nylon Net Company, in Memphis, Tn., they have lots of nets, you should be able to find any size, I think they'll custom make them.


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

rcjo said:


> That is a great idea re: the fishing net! I looked on ebay and found one that is 28 x 50 feet for $99. Compare that to the price of flight netting and it is about a $600 savings! I just started with heritage turkeys this past spring, so was looking into flight netting for the pasture.
> 
> Thanks for the idea!


Yeah that is the one. I have had mine in the shed for years....I have had two pens covered with it and it keeps every thing out Feeders hang off the ground for the rodents and if not that then white PVC pipe high enough to keep rodents out but suitable for chickens to get their heads in for a feed. 40*C today so their sprinkler system on to keep them cool and water running slowly in spaghetti tubing to keep water cool

Just make sure other birds are not able to get in.... pull over the pen and fix to top of the pen wire.....shall try for some photos on here tomorrow.


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

this will give an idea on what to do


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

this is another view of the netting and the nest boxes below


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

another view of chook pen and nest boxes......all of which has shells in the bottom to allow the chook some calcium and to lay her eggs. We dont use hay here as this stops shells peck by having sea shells in their laying boxes...


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

another view inside the hut for my chickens with the hanging feeder


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

enjoy out sunset out the back.. looking out to the west...been a hot day today 40*C


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## Nathanaf8388 (Oct 25, 2013)

jordie said:


> enjoy out sunset out the back.. looking out to the west...been a hot day today 40*C



I thought it was hot at 40 Fahrenheit


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## Phillip (Feb 6, 2006)

In my experience, a lighter bird will be killed by a predator before a darker one will be if they are running together, all other things being equal. But If I only have dark birds I suspect I'd still loss as many, and perhaps a bit less with luck, then the white birds.


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## jordie (May 12, 2016)

The other reason a net is good here over the chook pen is because the crows fly in to their nests and peck a hole in the egg and pick it up and fly off with them or suck out the contents of all of the eggs one by one....come in to collect them and they are empty... some farmers put a rabbit trap on a post and add an egg as a bait and catch them Hang it up side down dead of course and no other crows will come to the yard....but that is not for me...better to use a net and keep them out.


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