Judi B

Wow, that download makes very interesting reading especially the chaps comments as he seems to have solved his problem by investing in rollers. They outwit the hawks who give up rather than waste energy and he hasn't had any of his other birds taken since he started flying the rollers! Has anyone got rollers and, if so, have they managed to outwit the hawk? I'm only a novice so any advice re-the most acrobatic birds would be welcome! Judi

So sorry about your birds, I know how devastated you must fell..horrible hawk took one of mine birds 11 days ago. It has taken so many, thinks it's McDonalds. Anyway the little dove has survived, she was horribly injured but somehow is still alive. She looks terrible but is now eating and drinking on her own and preening. She is miserable but until her wounds are well healed, I must keep her alone. At least I got her...we'll see how she goes but I'll probably keep her in as couldn't see her caught again poor thing. All the best. Judi

Hello, I'm Judi and perhaps a bit of a fraud on this site as I neither show nor race but do love my birds! We moved from Yorkshire just over a year ago and now live in Brittany, France about 45 mins from the port at St Malo. We brought our birdswith us...what a palava that was as it was at the avian flu peak, anyway we got them through...doves and hens! We have 2 dovecotes but, with the local sparrow hawk, struggle to build a decent flock..only have 5 birds at the moment with one on the nest. We also have a pair of mature peacocks and 2 youngsters. The youngsters were raised by my broody bantams and think they are hens! They are free and behave like puppies, they come when called and are truly delightful! Not quite sure how we ended up with peacocks but at least the hawks can't take them and they chase the foxes away too!! Left UK for more simple life, free of stress with more time for ourselves and the menagerie! Love it here and it really is much cheaper to live than back in UK. Lots of work as we're renovating a very old house that had no toilet or hot water for our first winter! Still basic in parts but getting there...another year it should be finished! Lovely to be able to chat with other bird lovers, wish I'd found your forum sooner! Good wishes to you all with your birds, hope they all return safely home to you. Judi

I agree, hopefully the eagle owls will be successful in breeding but what do we do in the meantime? So many questions...? My little hen is still alive and quite perky but has no skin on the back of her neck. It looks as though the "horrible hawk" has tried to peel back the skin. Will it grow back and will she ever re-feather? I am spraying with aqueous disenfectant spray but wonder whether to start using an emolient cream? She also seems to have a problem with one eye which isn't quite right so she turns to use the other eye. At first it was closed but she does open it now and it doesn't look damaged but is on the same side as the worst of the injuries. I'm giving her some light today, is this better or should she stay in the dark till fully recovered? I have a large aviary with a pair of peacocks so perhaps when she's a bit better, we could put nest boxes in there and move her and catch her mate as well. Whilst it's a very large aviary, it seems so cruel to keep them in captivity. Now I just need to get other half to break off renovation of our house to make dove accommodation! Judi

As my little dove is a bit livelier now, I can see properly how bad he injuries are. The "horrible hawk" has not only removed the neck feathers but also the skin from her neck and there are 2 puncture wounds but it's all dry and I've been spraying it with antiseptic every couple of hours. Would it be best to just keep her in the kitchen until her neck looks a bit less raw? I don't want her mate to go off as I have only one other pair and two newly fledged that are his offspring, but she's not ready to go back into the cote in her current state poor thing. It's sad because these two birds moved with us and have been together for a number of years. He keeps going to look in the cote, checking whether she's returned and then sitting looking miserable on the barn roof with his two new fledglings. I suppose at least they weren't still sitting or feeding young. The alternative would be to catch him whilst he roosts tonight but I think that might be quite traumatic for him as none of the birds are used to being handled or confined. What do you think? Judi

Where can I get one and wouldn't it takes the doves as well as they'd be much easier to catch, the hawks are quite ferocious?! Poor little dove she's just laid an egg! Judi

:)Little bird is drinking water with the electrolytes in it. She's flapped her wings and is objecting loudly to me picking her up so things are looking a bit better! Her neck is pretty raw so I want to keep her in the house at least for tonight. I'd have to put her back in the cote for her to see her mate and I'm not sure she's ready for that yet. If it's warm tomorrow, perhaps I could put her outside in a large cage so that hopefully they'll see each other? She's not eaten anything yet but has pooed so that bit's working ok. Just hoping her crop not swollen by the injury as her neck looks too fragile to try to force feed into her beak. So sad for all of you who have recently lost birds to hawks...these birds seem to have no predators and seem to have no fear of man. I have a scarecow up which worked for a bit but they've got used to her..maybe it should be a model of an enormous eagle rather than a person!! Have any of you tried hanging old cd's around, does this have any effect? I'd like to try but afraid it will frighten my birds more than the hawks! Judi

Well the little bird has survived the night! She's still alert but looks bad, must not be as bad as it looks as she's still here. Can't get her to eat or drink though and am reluctant to try to force it as the damage is all round her head and neck so I might hurt her. Anyone with moreexperience got any ideas as she needs at least to drink? Re-the posting about encouraging crows, yes we had a group of crows mob a hawk as it sat on a pigeon it had caught, the hawk fled. Trouble is that the crows will take the eggs given half a chance so it's a double-edged sword! Thanks to you all for advice so far. Judi

As the birds are in dovecotes rather than a loft, I wondered whether increasin the flock might help...more pairs of eyes on the look out? My birds are white so are obvious targets, are there problems with all colours or are some less vulnerable? Mine were from a chap who used them in his flock to protect the others..ie the hawks took the white ones, not his fancy ones! What would be a good number to have in terms of protection for each other? My little bird is still alive so hopefully will make it through the night. She got one eye closed up but is still alert although she looks a real mess, looking at the injuries, I'm surprised she wasn't killed. Her mate is fretting in the dovecote...wish I could tell him that i have her safely inside! Keeping birds is tough isn't it? I have peacocks as well and the young male thinks the pigeons and hens are part of his hareem and I've seen him pursue a fox but unfortunately can't fly like a hawk. i wish it would land where he could see it...might decide that my pigeons aren't so tasty after all. Judi

:'(First time on the forum. Any advice please as one of my white birdds has just been attacked by a sparrow hawk. I managed to run after it and chase it off but not before it inflicted some damage. She has a bloody neck and he started to pluck her but she seems alert albeit terrified. She's in a box in a warm place but not sure what else to do. The second bit of advice is re-the horrible hawk, how do I prevent it getting more of my birds? It has had over half and currently they can't breed quickly enough to keep up with the predation. I don't show or race but have the birds in 2 dovecotes and love to see them free flying. It's so sad watching them being picked off...so far just the youngsters but todays was one of the mature birds I've had for several years. Please can anyone help? Judi