Any way to catch or kill a hawk....suggestions

[rdavis85]

I've been losing one or two chickens a day for over a week. Thought it was coons' or opossum but it wasnt. Went into the barn to feed this morning and saw a hawk (red tain I think) in the chicken coop inside the barn. I know its illegal but with what its doing I dont care about killing it. Any poison or anything anyone can suggest?

 

[srhcth]

I would suggest not to harm the hawk but if you still plan to do it do not talk about it on an public forum as it can be held against you.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Ummm you'd better call your local Animal and Game warden and ask them. It's against the federal law to bother, harm or kill a raptor. You could get slapped with a $500 dollar fine if you get caught.

My Great Pry. Koda killed a inmature Coopers hawk that was buzzing my chickens back in December and I was worried that I would get in trouble but I called the Game warden and they said as long as I didn't keep any feathers I wouldn't get in trouble.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Cover your run with netting, place some aluminum pie pans around to flap in the wind, mount a fake owl somewhere near the coop ... DETERRING a hawk is appropriate, killing it is not. There is a reason the species is protected. Respect it.

 

[alanb]

Animal control officer told me to kill any preditor on my small Farm !!! 3 #inch mag 410 works great , not too noisy ...... , ALANB .

 

[mediazeal]

ALAN B . :

Animal control officer told me to kill any preditor on my small Farm !!! 3 #inch mag 410 works great , not too noisy ...... , ALANB .

Animal control was talking all 4 legged critters
not hawks, not human predators
sorry

 

[chickerdoodle]

Please, do not kill the hawk. The hawk is doing what's natural and is not like the growing population of the opportunistic raccoons or coyotes which can be pests. They are protected for a reason--they also kill rodents and other small pests and keeps them in control or your farm would be overrun with rats. We are responsible to protect our flock when we bring them onto our property. Domestic chickens are not naturally in the hawks environment and so they are really the ones that are surplus and can be killed "legally" by the hawk. Use netting, hang old CD disks and pie plates and the other suggestions already mentioned. I adore my pets and take their protection seriously without harming natural wildlife.

FYI--I would be the first to inform the local authorities if I saw anyone abusing or killing a raptor. The animal control officer who said to kill any predator did not mean raptors- probably meant coyotes, skunks, raccoons, nuisance dogs etc. If he/she did then they can be arrested and fined (possibly lose their job) if someone took them up on it and killed a raptor.

 

[ivan3]

Covered run or, armed (bottle rockets are good), supervised free ranging. Free ranging is a practice by which one determines that Quality Of Life is more important than length of life, losses are to be expected.

You might be able to qualify for a permit, but I wouldn't count on it (call your local agent).

The rules: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/birdlaws/index.htm

Protecting one's flock is only doing what comes naturally. Assessing the relative threat levied by all manner of predators is also natural (six months in the slammer and $5000.00 in feed gone, courtesy of Uncle Sam, is one of those).

 

[Kennyog]

Quote:
VERY CORRECT! There are groups that BYC won't allow to be mentioned.But they monitor forums like this and others.They are just looking for a reason to cause someone trouble.You kill a hawk and get caught,it will be the most expensive bird that you will ever buy.

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

Not only will you get a LARGE FINE you will also get JAIL time in the state of Oklahoma and Texas.