How to keep Hawks away??

[ChickEchick]

I recently lost two birds to a Hawk (sadly, not the first time this has happened) so I strung fishing line over the top of my chicken yard. I used LOTS of fishing line - it looks like a GIANT spider web. I have seen the hawks on the ground feet from the chicken yard since and so far so good! I might add some CDs and tin pie plates for good measure.

 

[gmfwlbrdr]

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!

well we poultry lovers need to find away to approach the lawmakers and get a Reimbursement check everytime the government s protected species goes on a daily killing spree of our livestock and quit taking it lying down .

 

[Folly's place]

It is illegal to harm or kill any raptor in the USA. Period. It's necessary to protect our birds, and that's why we have predator proof coops and runs, and pay attention to what's going on out there. Some dogs will learn to chase raptors, and some very large tough roosters will do the same, but harming raptors is off the table here. Mary

 

[Kschwartz]

Quote:
I think I remember reading that somewhere..

Thanks!!!

 

[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.

 

[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..​

 

[bryan99705]

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.


As for shooting, I know my opinion but that's your call and is why they have SSS.

As for bad birds perching on posts while they pick their dinner, simply drill a hole in the top of the post and stand a straight piece of heavy gauge wire straight up about 6"in it. It will stop anything short of a stork from sitting there! If you built fence with wood rails on top, stretch a thin wire along the rail about 4 " above the rail, this will deny perching. Works great on coop ridges too.​

 

[dcsharpe]

Check your states laws. In some states it is legal to kill a protected animal if it is a danger to your animals/home/family etc.

 

[Vamvakas]

Best thing is netting.. I bought a 50'X50' from ebay for $60 free shipping never managed to hang it up cause it's a pain in the butt to do and you need poles to support it.

I left the netting outside in the box until a blizzard came to CT 2 weeks ago so I can't find it but, my dad will prod get new chicken wire and redo the run the snow bent most of it. I really don't have a problem with hawks. I would like it to keep my chickens in not out.

 

[poltroon]

It's way premature to be talking about shooting a hawk that occasionally hangs around where poultry is kept. A Rouen duck is pretty large and unless you are talking hungry eagles, is probably not going to get eaten... IME. We have a red-shouldered hawk hanging out every day and he has not messed with our Khaki Campbell ducks in two years. Now bantam chickens... he'd sign right up for that.

The right thing to do is to cover the top of your run with netting so you can feel comfortable your birds are safe.