Red tail hawk is killing our flock

[NashvilleLuLu]

We have a red tail hawk that has killed two ladies and our rooster. Has any found a deterrent for hawks when your chickens are free-range?

We let our chickens free-range for tick and insect control. We hate that we lose them to a hawk, but don't want to put them in a pen because that would defeat our main reason for having them. Yet we feel just terrible that they are being killed.

We have three dogs 50lb dogs who are pets. The Bernese Mountain Dog-mix and the Australian Koolie do an excellent job chasing off the hawk, but we don't leave them outside all the time.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[sourland]

Now that the hawk has found a food source it will stay around. I was a pigeon flyer. The hawks put me out of business because I could not find a legal method of protecting my birds. In your case a covered pen and monitored free ranging while the dogs were present might work. I have actually had a hawk kill a bird that was feeding at my feet.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Can you try planting some trees or shrubs around your property? Hawks are reluctant to land where they can't have a clear way to take off. This seems to deter them from coming into my yard.

 

[NashvilleLuLu]

Can you try planting some trees around your property? Hawks are reluctant to land where they can't have a clear way to take off. This seems to deter them from coming into my yard.

We have three acres split between heavily wooded and pasture.

 

[Farmer Doc]

Like most predators, the easier and more reliable the meal, the better. When we have the occasional hawk attack we change our patterns. We will keep them in a few mornings and let them out in the afternoon and then change that pattern as well - a preferred treat will bring our girls and boys running into their secured run. After a week or so the hawk will realize that this is not such a reliable place and you can return to your previous habits - until the next hawk stumbles by and is successful. If this is not doable, that hawk will keep coming back until the food source is exhausted. We have some good trees for cover in our fields and yards and that helps a bunch too. Sorry for your losses and aggravation.

 

[pennyJo1960]

You can run this laying in between trees pretty low cost and you can even get a couple. item:Baikalo 50' X 50' Net Netting for Bird Poultry Aviary Game Pens New 2.4" Square Mesh Size $29.99 Bought ours from Amazon

 

[centrarchid]

I do a combination of cover patches (more than one), dogs, and mixed flocks using fully adult standard sized roosters. I have not had to pen birds up when dealing with hawks. Setting up takes time; two years on the dogs, at least a season to get the bare minimum cover patches in place, while roosters can simply be released. The dogs may need a little conditioning to get them interested in checking on chickens and running hawk off. Dogs are expensive and can take a lot more chickens than any hawk if you are not careful. Dogs do not need to be LGD's, especially if area poultry range is only a few acres or less.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

In restaurants by the ocean in New England, they string fishing line in a wide grid to prevent seagulls from ambushing customers' plates while dining, and it works well. It can cover a large area of square footage with relatively few materials. May not be practical over a pasture though.

 

[Rickba]

12 gauge with 6 shot has always worked best for me. It was also a great way to finally end the feud with the neighbor about his dog running loose and chasing my chickens, ducks and geese. When the dog finally killed a goose and 2 ducks, well, the dog doesn't run loose any more.

 

[townchicks]

Chicken tractor for the pasture, net or "chunnels" for the wooded area. Maybe a scarecrow or two, though those don't work for long.