Another Hawk Question

[katherine712]

Will hawks take or hurt full grown chickens?

 

[gumpsgirl]

Oh yes! Quite easily and you can't do a thing about it. The hawks are protected and you will be in big, big trouble if you do anything at all to them. The best thing to do if you have an issue with hawks there is to keep your birds up in a covered run. If you want to let them free range, only do so when you can be outside with them.

 

[katherine712]

I was outside with them yesterday when I had one fly off with one of my pullets.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=247603

I was only 2 feet away!!!

 

[mdbokc]

My anti-hawk program. They live 700 feet from my coop.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes they will. I lost my sex link to a hawk. It couldn't carry her off, but it killed her.

My chickens roam my orchard. Apparently 2 rows of fruit trees = nice hawk runway. So we put in the hawk obstacle course. It's been a few months now, and it is working.

Here's the obstacle course looking from the coop:

And the other side looking towards the coop:

 

[cgmccary]

Depends on what kind of hawk & what kind of chickens you have. Red Tail Hawks are large enough to kill most any size chicken but "some" do not prefer chicken to eat. Red Tails are not really a danger to big, bold roosters (and I have known of certain roosters of the Game variety killing a Red Tail). A Red Tail would have trouble lifting large fowl and would have to eat it first on the ground (to lighten the carry load).

Cooper's Hawks (aka "Blue Darter," "Chicken Hawk") & Sharp Shinned Hawks, both whose diet are birds, are really only a danger to Bantams or other smaller chickens. Falcons are not really chicken hunters. Broad Wing or Red Shoulder Hawks are not a danger to large fowl breeds as well.

I have Red Tails, Cooper's, Sharp-shinned & Red Shoulder around me and see them several times a week. My chickens seem to know they are "danger" as they hide when they fly over. Only once, a young Cooper's Hawk tried to get my OEGB hen & my big Rooster (9 lbs) ran at the hawk which gave up. I have seen the Red Tails catch & eat squirrels literally in sight of my chickens. Of course, the chickens go bananas upon witnessing the Red Tail swoop, catch and eat the squirrel.

 

[Georgiapea]

New 2 Chooks, how does that work? Is it to prevent the hawk from having wing span room to swoop down? I have a fairly wooded area and plan to make my chicken area right in the midst of the trees but also hope to allow them to roam the entire fenced part, about a qtr. acre at times.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Here's our theory:

The hawk CAN come straight down. However, it CANNOT go straight up. It needs lift (glide path) to get out.(especially carrying prey) The posts are staggered so there is no glide path for exit. (without some serious maneuvering, which isn't going to help with lift) So our theory is if the hawk cannot get out, it will not come in.

Also I've heard that scare tape helps keep them away. (we put it there to make the t posts more visible) I have heard that they think it's fire.

Just our thoughts, but so it seems to be working and that's all I care about.......protecting my birds. Hope that helps.

 

[katherine712]

Necessity is the mother of invention!! THose are some great ideas, thanks!!