Hawks play a valuable role in keeping the rodent population on the farm under control. Members who are serious birders tell me that we have three pairs on the farm. They also like to swoop down and take a tasty chick for a midday snack. This is not part of the program here so we always keep the chicks inside their brooding houses until they are big enough and smart enough to get out of the way. These chicks are two and a half months old and were very keen to get out so we are fencing them in close to the house and the shade. It will be difficult for the hawks to get them with so many obstructions. They have already eaten all the leaves on the alfalfa around the house. We hope to move the house to another fresh patch of alfalfa in a week or so.