Hawk attack! What now???

[Susan Dye]

I recently saw an article that suggested using twine to discourage airborne predators. It can be randomly strung across an open area to disrupt the flight pattern of hawks. If the area isn't too large, it's an inexpensive easy fix. My girls have about 100 ft by 60 ft of open area for free ranging and I was considering netting, but with trees from my yard and my neighbors yards shedding so many leaves in the fall, it didn't seem practical. I was also concerned about small song birds getting trapped. Haven't had hawk problems yet, or installed the twine, but will likely be doing that this spring.

 

[McChooky]

I recently saw an article that suggested using twine to discourage airborne predators. It can be randomly strung across an open area to disrupt the flight pattern of hawks. If the area isn't too large, it's an inexpensive easy fix. My girls have about 100 ft by 60 ft of open area for free ranging and I was considering netting, but with trees from my yard and my neighbors yards shedding so many leaves in the fall, it didn't seem practical. I was also concerned about small song birds getting trapped. Haven't had hawk problems yet, or installed the twine, but will likely be doing that this spring.

I've read fishing line lasts a lot longer and is waterproof

 

[puddle_drinker]

I have used reflective crinkly tape I got on amazon. The hawks don't like the reflection and the don't like the noise it makes. I put it as high up as I can in trees and also near the ground. I have not had a hawk return since I started using it, but I have seen them fly right by to go to my neighbor's flock.... until they started using flashy garland.

Yep, shiny metallic tape works. It should be in a position that the slightest breeze makes it move around. I have Red Tailed Hawks, Red Shouldered Hawks, and Bald Eagles living in my area and this has worked for me. To test it I put it near an area that the hawks regularly perched to hunt, and it kept them away until the rubber band holding the tape broke and it fell on the ground. I also have nylon netting over my run just in case.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Over the last fifty years I have lost many birds to predators including hawks. Indeed, just a couple weeks ago I lost two roosters from my free ranging bachelor flock to a hawk and two more to a bobcat! I have tried with pretty good success to discourage hawk attacks over the years in long narrow yards with tape or fishing line with attached streamers strung over the top every 6 or 8 feet. The only place that has not lost birds to predators is a very secure coop and fully enclosed run with the wire buried deep and extending out a foot. When I let the bachelor flocks free range in the open on my mini farm, I always loose a few before I sale or eat them all. If I put them in the narrow yards with the tapes or strings and streamers the hawks don't get them but the mammalian predators do. I still let the bachelor flocks free range most years for a while, because they eat the ticks and look so nice ranging across the yard. Once the hawk or other predator hits you better lock up the birds because they will be back!

 

[SegiDream]

My hens are always with multiple hawk alert roosters. We have a chainlink fenced backyard and netting over some parts but not all of it. I have 1 big rooster with 3 inch spurs that will fiercely attack any hawk that makes an attempt and the other roosters will alert and stand guard at their coop door while the ladies run inside. Someone on here once said hawk attacks are more frequent on overcast and/or windy days. I will add they also seem more frequent around migration times of the year. So what we did was only let the chickens out of the run on clear calm sunny days. If there's a hawk attack/attempt then they were kept in the run for at least 2 solid weeks. Most of our chickens have pea/rose combs and no crests/tufts that might block their view.

I tried everything else - shiny string, hanging cd's, pinwheels, decoys etc. I felt that out of all of those the pinwheels and crow decoys were alright but not a guarantee. Netting over the run area is the best for an aerial predator. One of our hens is a hawk magnet (has survived 3 attacks I am not joking I've had to superglue her skin together a couple times around her neck and back) - she lacks situational awareness - she is now in the permanent run enclosure. Last year we had a hawk that loved to sit on the fence and hunt field mice, didn't care if humans were around, could almost walk right up to him. Never bothered our birds. Always wondered if he was a rehabilitated bird.

Anyways at the end of all this I'll say that we have been very lucky - no hawk attack has been successful and I think a large part of that is because the chickens themselves have honed their instincts to be alert and how to react. Except for that 1 bird.