Anyone use other birds to deter hawks? Turkeys, peacocks, etc?

[lisahaschickens]

Hi chickensioux - are you then one who posted about him a while ago, with the nice pictures? If so, he sure is a big, beautiful "scary" guy! I would love to try something like that.

I wonder what works better - turkeys or geese?

Will it still work if the chickens are some distance away from the turkey?

 

[wendy]

we have a peacock, he will sound out if anything is out of the ordinary. and he also makes a noise when someone is coming up the driveway. and it probably helps that we have ALOT of pin oaks around our run and coop. no hawk can get around that because it is so close to the house, i don't think they would chance it. we have doxie and cur dog too.

we do let ours free range, but only in the afternoon when we can be outside 99 percent of the time. so hawk has no luck then either.

i was told guineas are real good as 'watch birds' we are planning on getting some from the feed store in may when they get there shipment of guineas.

 

[Miltonchix]

CROWS!
Crows can't stand a hawk anywhere near them. Especially if they are nesting nearby.
I used to run crows off til I realized they were chasing/mobbing any hawk dumb enough to enter "their" territory.

 

[chickensioux]

Hi, yes I am the one that posted the pic of Victor. I think the reason he works so well is because he is in with the hens strutting around. I have not seen whether he chases the hawks or if just his presence is all that was needed. I just know that I have not lost any more hens and I see hawks all the time. They are everywhere in my area.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Those plastic owls with heads that move when the wind blows are great. We move ours around maybe once a week to make it look real.

 

[CritterFarmer]

I had 5 chineese geese last year that grew up with my chickens. They twarted numourous attacks from Cooper's Hawks. For about a week straight last fall when the hawks were moving through I personally observed probably 3 dive-bomb attacks a day. There's a slight dip right infront of the coop door, so I could never see what exactly happened in the last 2 feet before the hawk got to the birds but every time there was an aweful comotion from the geese and the hawk always left empty handed.

The geese NEVER showed any aggression towards us or the chickens, so it was great. However, the had angel wing and once they started to moult they kept busting blood feathers and the chickens would be all over them.... after awhile the geese started to get cranky towards the chickens and I figured it was time for them to go.

They did a great job at deterring hawks... and although they were pets and a part of me does miss them, I have to admit I do enjoy the peace and quiet. You couldn't get within 25' of the run or coop without them all honking their heads off. Couldn't even think of carrying on a conversation with someone while standing in the barn or by the run.

I'm going to try to get one tom this year and see how that goes...

 

[furryloo]

Will pigeons deter hawks? My husband read that if we buy pigeons, they will breed like crazy and the hawks will go after them instead because they are easier targets. My concern about that is that it will establish a feeding ground for the hawks if we do that.

I've also heard that phoenix chickens will roost in trees and attack them.

 

[Utterlyforgiven]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear of your trouble with the hawk.
I am not sure it will totally help but I have an Australasion hawk that flies round our home and pond paddock every day and to date has not attacked any of our free range doves or ducklings and we have over 50 birds.
We do have seven turkeys and 4 geese and also a pair of peacocks so maybe all or any of these birds which can fly may be a deterrent.
I have not seen the turkeys or peacocks attacking the hawk which flies very close, but I have seen magpies chasing it.
It may be that 'our' hawk is well fed from wild animals on the cow farm that borders us, and yet yours is hungry?
I wish you well.