How to keep Hawks away??

[Kschwartz]

Today I saw 2 hawks in my yard. The first time I saw them was earlier today, while I was by my ducks when they were swimming in their pool and the hawks were circling high up in the air. Later while they were in their pen I was inside and from my deck window I caught a glimpse of a hawk flying in our yard so I quickly ran to the pen and put the ducks in their coop. The hawks flew from a near by tree, only about 15 yards from the pen.


i JUST got ducks two weeks ago and their pen is not completely finished and I didn't think a top netting would be needed as I have Rouens and they don't fly, but now I am thinking I need one for sure!! I have a new tarp I could use... would that work?


Also what other steps should I take to keep the hawks away? Scare crow?

I am very worried.

 

[The Tinman]

Hang CDs with fishing line from tree branches or any place where they can spin in the wind. The reflecting sunlight will keep help keep the hawks away.

 

[Kschwartz]

Quote:
I think I remember reading that somewhere..

Thanks!!!

 

[BairleaFarm]

Quote:
until they get used to it.

The only way I have found to permanently get rid of them is a 12 gauge. I dont too much like the idea but I will shoot one if need be. Weve got several on the farm for they dont mess with the birds nor have a even seen the stalking my flock.

 

[Kschwartz]

Quote:
until they get used to it.

The only way I have found to permanently get rid of them is a 12 gauge. I dont too much like the idea but I will shoot one if need be. Weve got several on the farm for they dont mess with the birds nor have a even seen the stalking my flock.

It is illegal to harm birds of prey though... if it wasn't against the law, trust me they would've been dead as soon as I first saw them near my ducks!

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

The hanging CD is very good at making you feel like you are doing something, but they are otherwise ineffective.

I put poultry netting over my run and stopped letting my birds free range. I plan to get another big net and make a 50x50 grazing pen to supplement the 5x8 tractor I built.

I have also read that some people have had success with setting up pallets on blocks to provide shelter when free ranging. Others have experienced hawks coming under decks or into coops to get chickens.

I think the main thing is to provide a deterrent. If your birds are a hard target then the hawks are less likely to bother with them.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Quote:
until they get used to it.

The only way I have found to permanently get rid of them is a 12 gauge. I dont too much like the idea but I will shoot one if need be. Weve got several on the farm for they dont mess with the birds nor have a even seen the stalking my flock.

I did not find your joke very amusing since it is a $12000 Federal fine to shoot a bird of prey.

 

[Kschwartz]

Chicken.Lytle :

The hanging CD is very good at making you feel like you are doing something, but they are otherwise ineffective.

I put poultry netting over my run and stopped letting my birds free range. I plan to get another big net and make a 50x50 grazing pen to supplement the 5x8 tractor I built.

I have also read that some people have had success with setting up pallets on blocks to provide shelter when free ranging. Others have experienced hawks coming under decks or into coops to get chickens.

I think the main thing is to provide a deterrent. If your birds are a hard target then the hawks are less likely to bother with them.

The thing is, I think my ducks are stupid! lol.. but seriously when I looked out the window and happened to see a hawk fly in the direction of the pen I booked it back there and the hawks were in a tree 10 yards away and the ducks were still in their pen but didn't go in their coop for cover they were just peeping like crazy! That worries me..​

 

[BairleaFarm]

Chicken.Lytle :

I did not find your joke very amusing since it is a $12000 Federal fine to shoot a bird of prey.

Then why can you get a permit to do it? per www.extension.org

Shooting

All hawks and owls are protected by federal and state laws. There are cases, however, in which they can create public health and safety hazards or seriously affect a person’s livelihood. Contact your local USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services office first if you are interested in obtaining a shooting permit. The USFWS and state wildlife agencies may issue shooting permits for problem hawks and owls if nonlethal methods of controlling damage have failed or are impractical and if it is deter-mined that killing the offending birds will alleviate the problem.

Permittees may kill hawks or owls only with a shotgun not larger than 10-gauge, fired from the shoulder and only within the area described by the permit. Permittees may not use blinds or other means of concealment, or decoys or calls that are used to lure birds within gun range. Exceptions to the above must be specifically authorized by USFWS. All hawks or owls that are killed must be turned over to USFWS personnel or their representatives for disposal.

I wasn't joking and I know they are covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but, I have looked into this because I have thought about raising fowl in a commercial setting. My local extension office informed me that a nuisance permit is available seeing how they would disrupt my business to which i need to survive. I obviously did not go into near enough detail with my answer or the reasons why I said it. So let me re answer:

You'll first want to try to scare them off. The CDs could work or something as simple as i fake OWL on the top of your coop. If that doesn't work some states allow trapping(permit possibly needed). If that doesn't work shooting them my be an option(definitely need a permit). What you can do also depends on what species of hawk it is based on my research. If the scare tactics don't work contact your local extension office and they can lead you in the right direction.

I looked at the question from my perspective and answered one in a short answer when it should have been a little more in depth. sorry if i ruffled any feathers(no pun intended)​

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Quote:
OK, I was trying to offer you plausible deniability because it is a bad idea to say you will break the law on an easily searched forum, but your follow up makes it clear you meant lawful shooting with a permit. Thanks for clarifying.

The link you provided was pretty interesting. I thought this was a cool idea:

The electric pole shocker is a device developed by R.W. Schmitt of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to protect game farms and poultry operations (Fig. 3). It has proven very effective in several different settings in Wisconsin. Each unit consists of a ground wire running 1 inch (2.5 cm) from and parallel to a wire that is connected to an electric fence charger. Install electrical shocking units on top of 14-to 16-foot (4- to 5-m) poles and erect the poles around the threatened area at 50- to 100-foot (15- to 30-m) intervals. When a raptor lands on a pole, it receives an electric shock and is repelled from the immediate area. Other perching sites in the area should be removed or made unattractive. Energize the shocking unit only from dusk until dawn for owls and during daylight hours for hawks.​