A Hawk Is Killing Our Chickens. What should I do?

[centrarchid]

I posted this story a couple of years ago and got BLASTED by the members here....... But, I know it is true, so here goes.....

A hawk squeezed himself through an opening in my daughter's hen house to attack a hen. He wounded her on her head a punctured her breast in a few places. Then the Araucana/Game cross rooster attacked him. The hawk had an eye injury and a broken wing when we threw a shirt over his head to capture him. When I called the DNR I was told since he attacked chickens and his wing was broken to go ahead and humanely destroy him. I was told to call them back after the deed was done.

Of course, all the grandchildren started crying so I called DNR again and they gave me the number of a rehab facility. The folks from the rehab facility did come pick him up, they also confirmed that Hawks killing chickens can be destroyed. BUT, it is illegal to dispose of the body, it must be turned over to the DNR.

Keep in mind, we did not SHOOT the hawk, we actually caught the hawk INSIDE the chicken house, maybe that is the difference.

My advice is call DNR and arrange a meeting with an officer and discuss your hawk problems.

That is pretty close to my approach. Dogs do most of the apprehending and that is largely with owls (same difference). Female dog outside right now working on a couple of GHO;s being nuisance in cockyard. This dog appears to have developed a technique that got her close to owls on more than one occasion and these young owls have a little more than average stupid going on. We did catch a Barred Owl two years ago although that was released by me despite protests of dogs. They really wanted to munch it like they do raccoons.

 

[Goomer]

It's been 20 years since we had a hawk problem, but once again... I came up with a pretty cheap way to put up the mono-filament line over the top of the pen and thought I'd share it. In my case it was nearly free, a friend picked up a bunch of bundles of 10' X 1/2" rebar that was left over on a construction site at the school he works at. He had no use for them and first I made a cage to go over the blueberries and hold the netting. Then the hawk came. I took what was left of the rebar and poked an end about a foot into the ground. Then as high as I could reach, I started stringing the line, tying off to the first rebar post and then wrapping it around the next before continuing on. The line is well over my head, I crisscrossed line and made a regular dream catcher looking thing. So far, so good. Rebar is about as cheap a material as you can buy, should last forever and I don't have to duck my head.

 

[beginnergirl]

It's been 20 years since we had a hawk problem, but once again...  I came up with a pretty cheap way to put up the mono-filament line over the top of the pen and thought I'd share it.  [/B]  I took what was left of the rebar and poked an end about a foot into the ground.  Then as high as I could reach, I started stringing the line, tying off to the first rebar post and then wrapping it around the next before continuing on.  The line is well over my head, I crisscrossed line and made a regular dream catcher looking thing.  So far, so good.  Rebar is about as cheap a material as you can buy, should last forever and I don't have to duck my head. 

This is great. I've not heard of using monofilament to deter hawks. I am afraid to let my pullets fre range except when I am there. I will see if I can rig up something in the future. Thanks for this idea

 

[jerrey]

That is pretty close to my approach. Dogs do most of the apprehending and that is largely with owls (same difference). Female dog outside right now working on a couple of GHO;s being nuisance in cockyard. This dog appears to have developed a technique that got her close to owls on more than one occasion and these young owls have a little more than average stupid going on. We did catch a Barred Owl two years ago although that was released by me despite protests of dogs. They really wanted to munch it like they do raccoons.

I also have hawks looking over my chicken pen I have 3 chicken that fly over the pen I will fix that when the weather is a little warmer I get so tired of the hawks ,when then they free range I am out with them

 

[centrarchid]

I also have hawks looking over my chicken pen I have 3 chicken that fly over the pen I will fix that when the weather is a little warmer I get so tired of the hawks ,when then they free range I am out with them

We appear to be neighbors so have very much the same challenges. I have not lost any free-range chickens to hawks for more than 2 years despite heavy hawk presence. A Coopers Hawk hunts in my barn daily for starlings. A Red-shouldered Hawk patrols pasture area but to my knowledge has never shown interest in my chickens. Red-tailed Hawks are a different story although they do not seem to like hunting areas where I have heavy cover and a rooster every 10 feet.

 

[Bradley Clark]

I have A very large owl around my place not sure what to do

 

[centrarchid]

If your birds are in coop with covered run, then my only concern would be to make sure chickens sleep more than 6" away from any area owl can reach through with its feet. If chickens roost tight against owl can reach through either prevent that or make so owl can not see chickens. If birds free-ranged then getting them settled on roost a good 30 minutes before sun down and do not release them until sun up the following morning. This time of years owls will hunt during days that are overcast but they are not near the threat they pose at night. You do not disoriented or hungry birds out walking about when light levels are low. A good percentage of losses to owls I have dealt with appear to be the result of chickens not getting settled onto protective roost. The chickens having a lot of discord on roost needs to be corrected by adjusting roosting arrangements.

 

[Jennn27]

I have A very large owl around my place not sure what to do

I had this problem myself, very recently. I lost two of my ducks to owls attacking at night once the chickens were locked up.

Here's what has worked great for me:

*Get an owl decoy (the more realistic-looking, the better). The one I have I got for $20 at TSC, and the head swivels. I move it around to different spots every few days or so. I have it out in the area where my ducks hang out at night.

*Get a radio (outdoor is best, but I have a regular, cheap one and keep it covered from the weather). Put the radio on talk radio (an AM station), and let it play 24/7. The owls and anything else (think, hawks) will think there is always someone out there talking and will be afraid to come down.

I know this sounds silly but it has worked wonders for me thus far! I haven't lost a duck in weeks, and my daughter says she can hear the owls in the trees in the mornings but I guess they don't want to come down out of the trees out of fear.

The radio thing also works well for keeping birds out of your garden.

 

[poorfarm]

Lock your birds in the coop shortly before dusk and don't let them back out until full daylight, and never let anybody roost outside in the trees. It's worked for me for many years.

 

[shaun14]

Hi, I was on the trip and four of my hens were lost during my absence - the people who were taking care of my farm took pictures. All four were still in the pen, in a corner, and many of them had injuries on their heads. Two Of them looked like their wounds had been pecked open, but two of them hadn't been touched at all. I concluded it must've been a raptor, today I saw a huge one watching the pen from a large tree about the time this has been occurring. I've strung white horse fencing tape up over the pen, but they're afraid to ever come out. Any other ideas on how to tell if this is the culprit?