What are best hawk deterrents? Have a situation here!

[DizzySkunk]

For our chicken pen (which is in the process of being fenced) we are going to plant several forsythia bushes for the chicken to hide under. They seem to love these bushes! We've lost a couple chickens to hawks and these hawks can be quick as a blink to snatch a chicken! The guinea idea and a net cover sound like the most reasonable ideas so far. In a run that is too large to cover, I would suggest building a smaller run from the coop within the large one and covering it, letting them run in the larger one when conditions aren't so dangerous. Also, might want to try planting Corn in the large area and when the corn in knee high, let them run around in it. It will hide them, keep the weeds down, keep the bugs down, and you get corn out of the deal (chances are, they won't be able to reach much of the corn to devour before you get to it).

 

[countrygirl4513]

I use the black plastic netting that you cover fruit trees with. comes in a 14x14 package. i covered my chicken yard with it. it not only helps with the hawks but keeps the chickens in since my fence is not that high.

 

[WrenAli]

I have heard that kites, whirly gigs and such work really well for deterring hawks.

Good Luck!

 

[LynneP]

Hawks are protected here and voracious. I mean if you had a free meal of your favorite food daily, would you leave? They're not afraid of the plastic hawks. If part of this run can't be covered and the chickens provided with separation there will be no chickens.

 

[dacjohns]

Jumped on here thinking another post on predator control, what great and not so great ideas do people have. Then looked at the dates. This thread started and died over a year ago just to be resurrected.

That said here's my two cents.

OP should have the problem solved. If not. If you can't afford to protect your animals legally then you shouldn't have any.

No one should ever in this forum advocate illegal methods of predator control.

How many times is this topic going to be revisited.


Yeh, I'm grumpy this morning.

 

[Davaroo]

With raptors being outright protected, it seems as if you are at a disadvantage, your hands tied by the watchdogs. But it doesn't mean you can't affect the outcome.

Ive heard the dangly CD trick works, plastic owls, not so much.
SO does the entanglemet string, strung over the run.
Ditto with trapping.
I won't even touch on the SSS methods. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

Again, I've heard this stuff.

My sister put up range shelters for the chickens to duck into, and that discouraged the hawks. They were just little tepees of wood and brush.
Moving the chicken area to a sheltered one with no open flight paths seemed to be a step in the right direction, too, although not the only answer.

Removing nearby perch branches sounds like a decent step.
I personally like the idea of bottle rockets, being that sort of person.

It would be nice if the falcon guy could educate us a little about dealing with these birds, and not merely offer a self-serving method of abatement: Let ME (or one of my fraternal brothers) come do it for you.
C'mon guy, need input.

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
Mornin' Grumpy!!

I agree with you for the most part here. Its not really rocket science. But sometimes it does become necessary to SSS. BUT, never a protected species. You WILL be caught AND prosecuted. My hawk problem was solved for the time being by a flock of crows deciding to nest right behind my place. If a hawk comes within a mile of them they get........MAD! and run it off in a heart beat. Fun to watch.
And to think I used to think of crows as useless scavengers.

 

[Davaroo]

SO then, it seems we have to learn how to attract and hold crows nearby.
What about Purple Martins? Do they assault hawks?
Someone get on this research - we may be on to something....

 

[Miltonchix]

Most smaller birds, if in a large enough group will harrass a hawk. I think the hawks tend to ignore the small birds though. The only other birds I've seen have any effect on hawks has been mockingbirds. The mockingbirds also chase off the vultures if they get too low.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
SO how do we get Mockingbirds, crows and Martins to stick close by us?