Hawk advice please

[adoptedbyachicken]

Hawks do of course have memory but as I gather this bird did not get a meal out of it (you have the hen's body?) it will be in the hawk's mind an unsuccessful hunt. This bodes well for you. Hawks can be detered several ways. Trick is to find something that your chickens can also live with. Tin pie plates that can move in the breeze on a twine or rope over an area will help if your chickens will stay underneath. So this is great for a common area they free range, but many chickens will never go there after they are strung up. Try putting one in the coop down at their level first then up a bit and a bit till it's over their head before trying them in the yard. Plastic owls work too, again get one and put it in the coop at ground level for them to get used to first then start moving it around. Interestingly it helps with Owls too, and will keep away some wild birds which helps with the introduction of lice and mites.

The only way to be sure is a covered pen and no free ranging. Don't know about you but I'm not willing to go there unless I had serious losses. I know I'm going to loose a bird now and again free ranging but the health and happyness I see in a free range flock is worth it, as sad as the losses are. In 3 years on this property I have not lost one to a raptor yet and I have lots to pick from. Sadly your young pullet may have seemed easy pickings due to her size and inexperience. Also do yuo have a roo? They are the watchers and issue the warning shreek that the hens run for cover on so if you don't have one you might consider it.

 

[DDRanch]

Thank you Chel, April and silkiechicken,
You have been most helpful and I appreciate your advice. I do have a secure,covered outdoor pen so the girls can be safe outdoors, and they are locked up tight at night. I love to see them enjoying the freedom of free range during parts of the day, when I am home and can keep an eye on them.

Also, because they are young I kept even closer watch because of their size, but as they are about the same size now as my old girls, I thought they would be ok. The hawk did not have a meal, not even a taste, as I was quick but not quite quick enough. I buried her this morning.

I noticed there was not a speck of blood or damage to her body, just loss of feathers along one side of her neck. Such a beautiful bird, gold laced wyandotte.

I like the idea of getting a plastic owl and putting that on the coop and I have been debating getting a rooster, so now is maybe the time.

Thanks again.
Anne

 

[billyroo]

well about 4 weeks ago we lost our PR hen to a hawk...
looked like a JV red shouldered hawk...We ran the hawk off. cleaned the hen and ate her.

\\Just part of free range\\

The hawk has never come back (knock wood).

I would not kill a hawk or owl. They are protected under federal law. They also do more good than harm.

If you can... use the loss for your own.....

pen them up or live with the loss.

Dogs, cats, mink, coon, 'possums that another story.

billyroo:/

 

[wolfpack62001]

Hmmm alot can be said about preditors!
But it all boils down to you, so Ill leave that there.
So when the Hawk, a Red Tail attacked my Silkies my Roo did his thing to great sacrafice, in my coop of all places.
Hawks do this for lack of food or just desperate.
Heres what I did, take the carcuss and throw it out in the open, the hawk will come back, then trap him, he will be busy eating.
Kind of a humorus story in itself.
The wife was looking at me then said now what do we do.

 

[opihiman911]

I'm lucky we don't have any preditors around here except the occasional feral dog.
My friend on the mainland in Nebraska does have a problem with raptors. He had me save my old 100# fishing line that came off my deep sea fishing pole, had almost 500 yards of it.
He took it, put 8' poles around hit run, ran a double thick length around the perimeter, then took single strand and strung it back and forth over his run making boxes around 3-4' square, also ran some old CDs through the line. Intertwined the pattern in over under fashion. Its been up for over 4 years now and he hasn't lost a single bird since.
Just figure out what the wing span is for the smallest raptor you have and go a foot smaller. He said he seen a couple birds swoop down and hit the line and bounce right off. Only thing we were worring about is if one got through the line and couldn't fly out, but then you cound trap and relocate if you wanted to...so far hasn't happened
Nothing will break 100# line, it is virtually indestructable and won't rot, and for the most part it is not seeable and doesn't ruin the view or sunlight into you coop.
Hope this helps.

Aloha,
Cory

Aloha,
Cory

 

[priszilla]

I was told about the 3 S method- shoot shovel and SHHHHHH. But my chickens are penned and only allowed out under supervision because we have a hawk problem. We are trying to scare them away by tossing firecrackers when we see one- and encouraging crows. Long range plans include a covered run for them to play in.

 

[Pelican49]

My new place in the country is thick with hawks, owls and coyotes. Since I'm encroaching on their world, not them on mine, I have no intention of killing any of them. There are also dumped dogs from time to time.

I'll just have to build a very large, and predator proof run for my girls. No free ranging for them I'm afraid.

 

[pepperluvsmee]

Make sure you check with your local Game commission to be sure the bird you are going to shoot is not on any protection or endangered list. I only mention this if someone see's you and calls them, it can mean HUGE fines.
Good Luck.

 

[DDRanch]

Once again chicken lovers,

I have no intention of shooting or harming any hawk or other bird of prey. EVER !!!

I was dissappointed when my post turned into a debate on killing or not killing hawks....and then someone actually posted a picture.....

Please if you are going to debate the "SSS" philosophy, start your own post. I don't support it and that is not why I came to you for advice.
Anne

 

[Buster]

Quote:
I am sorry that this turned into a debate. I respectfully deleted my posts to not cause argument. The pic with the hawk maybe a good solution. Note that the hawk isn't dead, they trapped him so they can relocate him. There is a whole other debate on whether or not that is good but I think the pic with the trapped hawk was meant to help you.