paragon falcon, how to deter them?

[mayrooni]

i have one who flies around the homestead. today, it was on my deck, just feet away from the chickens, and then now i just saw it fly in the chicken coop, i scared it out, but dang. any tricks to deter them? we have 5 acres and the chickens free range, so no netting. they have a run with electric netting that we hardly use. decoys? scents? any ideas?

 

[carlsaSC]

Do you have a rooster? Mine sets up an unholy racket when the hawk comes around.

 

[mayrooni]

at least i think it is a paragon falcon, for sure a bird of prey trying to get my chickens!

 

[mayrooni]

i have two, but with 5 acres, they are roaming all around and may not be near when the bird comes by. my ducks were louder today than my rooster and that is what alerted me.

 

[lomine]

My brother and sister-in-law had a pair of peregrine falcons nest and hatch three chicks in their neighborhood a couple summers ago. When it came time for the chicks to learn how to hunt they started killing neighborhood cats. One day one of them landed in the yard with my one year old nephew like it was going to go after him and it freaked my sister-in-law out. So she called the local wildlife office and they said the only thing she is allowed to do to the bird is spray it will water. You may want to call your local wildlife office and see it this is acceptable. That might at least help when you are around and it might learn that your chickens are more trouble than they are worth.

 

[aart]

Only way for sure is to keep them confined in a mesh roofed run.