A hawk that just won't quit!!!

[earth_ma]

How do I deal with this hawk that comes back every evening to try to get to my chickens. It actually pulled two of my chicks through the chicken wire!! We fixed that by lining the brooding pen with hardware cloth. However, I want to let my chickens free range especially in the evening. I made a chick size hardware cloth cage and put a live chick in it to bait the racoon trap with and have my fingers crossed. I've tried to shoot it but it is just too fast for me! Any suggestions?

 

[Stacykins]

Quote:
All birds of prey are federally protected species. Very illegal to harm unless you have very difficult to acquire permits. No suggestions, other than to wait for a game warden to hopefully show up at your door if you do kill the bird.

 

[thekid]

a shotgun will take care of it

 

[southerndesert]

Bottle rockets will irritate them enough to leave most times, don't try to hit them just fire a few their way unless illegal in your state. Couple days of that and they hunt elsewhere and no harm done... Not making it up and it works.

 

[centrarchid]

Legally as pointed out you can do no harm to hawk. Otherwise options depends somewhat on hawk species and resources you have. A dog for me is the magic, especially if it is alert and active. If you are dealing with a Coopers hawk, sometimes an adult rooster will keep such a bird away. I use game roosters for that purpose. If you birds all young very, very heavy cover will be required if previous options not available.

Despite reasoning noted above, shot gun and fireworks require you be present. Your presence alone will give hawk pause unless it is a psycho Coopers hawk and even it will go if you make certain it knows you see it. My experience with Coopers hawks in urban settings are they pretty much ignore humans. Once one commits you might have a hard time shooing it with a broom.

 

[earth_ma]

Thanks everybody! I like the bottle rocket idea...I'll sure try that too. I'm not sure about the species but the coloring is white with black splash....could it be a falcon? It is small compared to a red tailed hawk. It may be about a foot tall.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Bottle rocket option not legal. Most likely a Coopers hawk based on size and fact it going after birds through cage. Picture would help.

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Don't harm the bird - it's just doing what is natural to it. Plus, I'm sure you can get more chickens since chickens are rather plentiful.
You can keep shooting Nature, but they'll just keep coming. And the federal law might land you in jail and charge you a hefty fine.
Best to outsmart them through a few different techniques... supervision, guard animals or better coops (and/or).

I wouldn't let my bird out in the evening unless I was out there watching, just because so many animals start coming out at dusk, unless there is supervision.

If you do not plan on caring for a dog for the next _fill in life span_ years, don't get it, or it may be more problematic on the dog later! I see too many "gotta get rid of the dog, because it eats my chickens even though the dog was here first" ordeal or other silly reasons. Getting any animal should be for life.

If I were you, I'd build a fort knox chicken coop with a big run to it. If you're out there, I'd supervise.

I've got a 16 ounce bantam who lives in my house and two guard dogs to protect the other birds. While my other birds come out often, that little bantam is never outdoors by herself unless I'm out there supervising.

 

[Mattemma]

Red mylar ribbon on bamboo poles.CD's face up on bamboo poles(zip tie under it to hold up). Fishing line in zigzags in the yard on high bamboo poles. Bird netting loose(they get tangled). Maybe a horn if you prefer not using the bottle rockets.Create shelter/protection using anything you can get for free like pallets or ornamental grasses.

If anything happens to the bird you best hope no one sees.I had a neighbor get reported by another neighbor for killing a hawk,and the poor guy got fined.Don't know why he didn't deny it unless someone got a pic/video.

Birds of prey are annoying(and yes beautiful too).More annoying since you aren't supposed to kill them.

 

[centrarchid]

I have read enough of the silliness concerning harm directed towards hawks. Will also do reporting. Keep efforts legal and think.