Hawks! How do I keep them away?

[Fancychooklady]

Interesting to hear about them from someone more local. I tend to dismiss them a bit as a USA problem. My hens also do that same noise and statues routine when something spooks them from above. So far its only been a kite though not a hawk and he has just watched.

Yeah, I had never really taken much notice of them till I got chooks. We have a very large owl, nesting sea eagles, goshawks, swamp harriers and the occasional visit from a wedge tail.
Seems to me the words has got around, " they keep chooks at inlet farm "

 

[scooter147]

That's a hawk alright and I would guess a coopers hawk. They generally leave my standard size hens along but the bantam size are fair game.
My chickens react to the alarm call of the blue jays, once the blue jays start making a racket the hens stand to attention and then it takes one chicken to panic and head for cover and it's like someone turned on a huge suction machine and suck the hens into my hedgerow.

 

[woodmort]

I got a charge lately by a Facebook post warning people about hawks vs pets (of the cat/dog variety). It said that hawks were a danger for animals up to 12 pounds--something I doubt very much since they even tend to ignore my 6-lb chickens. Aside from eagles or a Great Horned Owl, I don't know of a raptor that could handle an animal larger than 5 or so pounds. Figure it was one of those scare the bejeesus out of suburbanites, urban myth type posts that make the rounds of FB,

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I got a charge lately by a Facebook post warning people about hawks vs pets (of the cat/dog variety). It said that hawks were a danger for animals up to 12 pounds--something I doubt very much since they even tend to ignore my 6-lb chickens.  Aside from eagles or a Great Horned Owl, I don't know of a raptor that could handle an animal larger than 5 or so pounds.  Figure it was one of those scare the bejeesus out of suburbanites, urban myth type posts that make the rounds of FB,

A hawk may not be able to carry a chicken away, but this is what one did to a chicken of mine a few weeks ago. I came home to find all the free-ranging chickens missing and soon found a LIVE, partially eaten chicken on the ground and a hawk up high in a tree above her munching on part of her. I ran into the brush and found her still alive but missing a huge chunk of her back to expose her insides. The hawk flew away and I had to euthanize the poor hen. It was terrible. The rooster had herded the rest of the hens into the coop and they were safe.

Yesterday, a hawk flew into the yard and the chickens all freaked and ran for cover. I was standing right there and it landed on the roof of the coop and then flew away. All the chickens were safe, but stayed hidden for a half hour.

At least my chickens are now experienced and know what to do and there is usually enough cover, but I'm still thinking they'll get another sometime. The price I pay to allow them freedom to range.

 

[Nambroth]

I got a charge lately by a Facebook post warning people about hawks vs pets (of the cat/dog variety). It said that hawks were a danger for animals up to 12 pounds--something I doubt very much since they even tend to ignore my 6-lb chickens. Aside from eagles or a Great Horned Owl, I don't know of a raptor that could handle an animal larger than 5 or so pounds. Figure it was one of those scare the bejeesus out of suburbanites, urban myth type posts that make the rounds of FB,

There is a hint of truth to this, but one must look at it logically to understand.

Hawks and other raptors are a danger to animals that are larger than they are, and many hawks can and will rough and tumble with larger critters to take a meal.
They cannot, however, fly away with an entire animal that large. Even an animal as small as 3 pounds would be a struggle for a Red-Tailed hawk, one of NA's largest hawks. Anything larger than 4-5 lbs and the can't fly away with the whole thing.They have to dine on the ground, and therein lies a great threat to the hawk, because it can easily go from predator to prey.

Based on this, a hawk will not swoop in and carry away with pets or livestock larger than 4 or 5 pounds (which seems to be the fear you mentioned).
But they can kill them on the ground... if they feel it is safe to do so.
Human or livestock guardian dog presence near the animals in danger is enough to deter any but the most desperate or young-and-stupid hawks.