supervised free-ranging - can you truly protect from hawks?

[gardenofeeding]

Hi all -

New chicken mom here. We have 4 x 6wk Wyandottes. My plan from the beginning was to do supervised free range, as we've seen red-tailed hawks on our property here and there. We're on 3 acres near the city and I joke that our place is kind of a nature preserve. Our property is also something of a playground for hawks with a ring of trees around a fairly open lawn (we have some lower coverage for chickens but could definitely use more).

On day 3 of supervised free range (we'd been letting them out before dusk), my husband, sons and I were playing about 10 ft from our chicks. My back was to them but luckily I turned just in time to see a hawk heading straight for the girls. Instinct took over and I ran at the hawk screaming. He flew up into a tree while we got the chicks back in the coop. I'm so glad nothing happened but so disappointed that the hawks have already shown up. I was really enjoying watching the girls explore.

They've now been in their tractor for 3 days. I heard the hawk in a spruce near our house the next day but have not seen it since. I know we have crows regularly so hopefully they are helping keep the hawks in check as well.

So, my questions are:

- have others had luck w/ protecting their flock by staying very close? even after a hawk attacked somewhat nearby? now I'm nervous to even do supervised free range, especially if I have my 4yo and 2yo sons with me
- should i wait until the chicks are older and wiser to do supervised free range?
- is there a better time of day to free range? or should we mix it up if possible? I've read conflicting things about letting them out at dusk
- is the smartest option to get a rooster (or goose?) had shied away from roos, mostly because of my kids (and memories of my grandma's rooster jumping on my brother's head )
- I could encourage chicks to explore the perimeter of our yard where there's plenty of coverage?
- here's my craziest thought - does anyone carry something to deter hawks while out with chickens? I'm picturing myself with an umbrella with crazy reflective things on it. something to indicate to my neighbors how normal we are

Also - just to note, I *think* it was a juvenile red-tailed hawk

I know there's no definitive answer here but I like to hear other people's experiences.

Thanks!

I was sitting near our chicken pen with its door open and a little fenced area around me and the chicks. A hawk swooped right down near me and the chicks in my little circle. Instinctively I screamed and hurried the chicks back in their pen, all the while counting them. I was sure he got one, but I think they saw him coming too and raced for their lives. Thankfully all the chicks were there. Since then Ive constructed a more secure ranging area with a net for a covering.

 

[falconertomt]

The short answer is you cannot prevent a hawk or owl attack unless they cannot physically get to your birds (They will sometimes still try). I have witnessed some pretty incredible trickery performed by raptors, and they can be totally fearless.

I wrote an article here that offers some pointers: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-or-how-to-prevent-the-hawk-owl-attack.66431/

If you let your chickens out of a coop, or fully covered run, you will run the risk of an attack. Urban areas are not safe either, I regularly find hawks and owls in the middle of town here in Utah, and have seen them all over in other areas.

 

[falconertomt]

The Crows will help. They hate hawks and hawks fear them.

This is not 100% true, I have seen hawks hunt crows on a regular basis. A flock of crows will mob and chase off a hawk, but "Rook Hawking" is a very real thing, and it happens in the wild all the time.

 

[centrarchid]

The short answer is you cannot prevent a hawk or owl attack unless they cannot physically get to your birds (They will sometimes still try). I have witnessed some pretty incredible trickery performed by raptors, and they can be totally fearless.

I wrote an article here that offers some pointers: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-or-how-to-prevent-the-hawk-owl-attack.66431/

If you let your chickens out of a coop, or fully covered run, you will run the risk of an attack. Urban areas are not safe either, I regularly find hawks and owls in the middle of town here in Utah, and have seen them all over in other areas.

Extremism

 

[slbenter]

Extremism

Huh? It was an informative article. What is “extreme” about that?

 

[chuckmama]

I walk my chickens too and have had issues with hawks. Sometimes I scoot the girls back into the coop or under a bush. I make sure the hawk knows that I am around by waving my hands or something in the air. Usually they fly off. One day I was sitting in the play yard with the girls and a hawk flew in right in front of me and almost nailed one of my hens. I thought it was a goner cause I couldn’t find her under some dense foliage. She was traumatized for weeks. I feed my crows rodents that I’ve killed to keep them around. I put up a section of netting right by the coop door extending out 18 feet? or so. its In the space where the hawk flew in. They still have access to the rest of their yard which has ground cover and trees small and large. I haven’t lost any to birds of prey. I am way more comfortable with them being out with my netting up. I still take them for walks outside their run too. Just be vigilant but unless they are cooped up 24/7 there is always a chance something can happen. I want mine to have as much freedom as possible. Much success. PS Rooster or goose - either is good especially if it grows up with you and the chicks.

 

[centrarchid]

Huh? It was an informative article. What is “extreme” about that?

You folks are having way more trouble with raptors than I have experienced. This must be taken into context I know my raptors very well ( a falconer will have nothing on me) and I have lots of raptors and free-range all life-cycle stages of my chickens. The extremism comment relates to assertion the raptors are unstoppable. Bull

 

[Regaj]

Thanks for the very balanced and helpful article, falconertomt. How anyone could interpret that as "extremism" is beyond me!

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks for the very balanced and helpful article, falconertomt. How anyone could interpret that as "extremism" is beyond me!

When I am looking for balance regarding methods to manage chicken losses to raptors, I am looking for that person to be working more with chickens than with quail. Quail are far harder to protect. Also consider if your "balanced" source of information is also breeding quail at least in part to feed raptors purposely as done by many falconers.

 

[Matejka]

The only raptor I have had MAJOR issues with is a cara cara