Argggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kajunbanty]

Hawks are Federally protected so killing them is just asking for trouble with the law. I agree cover the coop. I have hawks that nest on my land also and I have seen them kill a chicken on my brothers land. I have bantams and I cover my coop with the wildlife netting completely and then partly recover with shed cloth, so far I haven't had any problem with any predators. I do close my chickens up at night in their roost house which is inside the coop. So I think the best thing to do is cover the coop with netting.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

NMbirds: Honestly.

I love Hawks. I do NOT want to kill them. I just want to encourage them to quit flying over the run and scaring my poor babies.

purpletree23: No, my run is not open. It's a 8' by 10' run that's 6' tall. The top is covered with chainlink wire.

Big Dreams: Where can I find shade cloth? That sounds like a good idea.

PeepsINC: No way am I shooting Paintballs at the hawks. I do NOT feel like paying a $500 dollar fine to the county. Now if it was about DOGS then yes I would do that.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have my run covered with heavy duty shade cloth and it works great. The hawks aren't even interested. And the run still gets plenty of sun from the sides. The cloth doesn't totally block the sun all day anyway and my girls appreciate the shade mid day.

Here's a picture from the inside of their run, sorry I don't have a better one from the outside. We ordered this from our local lumber store to the exact size, hemmed and with grommets to hang it. It was SO easy to install.

We have a large 13 x 24 foot run and this cost $176.00
My husband did install pipe supports to keep it from sagging. Since yours is already topped with chain link that won't be a problem for you.

 

[ducks4you]

Do you have a dog?

 

[cgmccary]

Great run cafarmgirl! Nice.

Hawks even Eagles are scared of Great Horned Owls . . . this seems to keep them from buzzing my run:

http://www.biconet.com/critter/rotatingOwl.html

too bad you can't attract some crows . . . I hate to tell this story but when I was a child, my dad used to crow hunt (don't ask me why 'cause I don't know & he's long deceased so I can't find out why), but he'd shoot some crows and just injure them breaking their wings and I would beg him not to kill them so along with my chickens, I had a group of crows who slept in the barn and were like pets . . . they lived for years and kept mice, rats & hawks away.

 

[wildorchid053]

we ordered on line at the.. shade cloth store.. they had really good prices and the edges are sown with the grommets in already.. we ordered 60% shade

 

[lleighmay]

If you're in a pinch and don't want to wait for an order of shade cloth to come in you can always use weedblocker landscape fabric- it's relatively inexpensive, strips can be sewn into one large piece any size you want,can add grommets if you like, and lets water through so it doesn't puddle up and weigh down the top.

 

[California Ducken]

Okay been there done that.
Well, Hawks tend to stay where they were raised for the most part. My momma hen was pulled through chicken wire. Well most of the way. The hawk went down between the fence and the coop. About 2 feet clearance, and was pulling her.
The hawks and their babies in this area have always stayed around. The numbers keep growing, and I am in town! Once they know where a food source is....unfortunately they stay.
Another note once a few know the spot where a food source is located they get a little more desperate and smart. That's why the hawk put her self in a tight spot to get my hen.
My neighbor put a stop to it.......a 22.
He breeds Yorkies and they have gotten 6 of his dogs over the last year.
Well, good luck. End note they don't go away unless they are eliminated or trapped and released. Very far away.

That's "the" hawk that killed my hen! She was looking down at my other chickens. She was NOT afraid of us one bit. I was only 5 feet away. And she was holding her ground.

 

[California Ducken]

Oh cafarmgirl my chickens would have the grass in the run gone in under 3 days! But the dirt would be all raked and fertilized evenly. They are funny that way. LOL

PS Fresno Gal here. you?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hey, California Ducken! I'm in Turlock. Nice to meet another "neighbor" on here!

Yeah I don't think the grass in the run is going to last long! But I only have 8 in there and it's a big run so I'm hoping at least the rest of the summer.