Best breed to attack hawks

[Katey802]

Im so mad i hate hawks so much they keep killing my birds ive lost 3 roosters and a whole flock of ducks. What breed is strong enough to fight predators but not attack the flock, like aggresive but also not

I lost a bunch of chickens to a hawk once fall came and all of their cover was just sticks instead of leaves and bushes. We built a run but plan on letting them free range again come spring. I plan on getting a “guard goose”. We did everything, fake owls, scarecrows, blasting the radio, CD’s hung from the trees, reflective tape etc but once the hawk knew they were there he just kept coming back.

 

[Chickenberg Goldenegg]

I've heard random wires strung from overhead makes diving birds not want to dive.

Also I got hawks and black australorps that are much bigger than the hawks. So far they have not gotten a single bird. My Australorp are about the size of a vulture so they could take on a hawk if it stopped flying.

 

[GalliGals]

Im so mad i hate hawks so much they keep killing my birds ive lost 3 roosters and a whole flock of ducks. What breed is strong enough to fight predators but not attack the flock, like aggresive but also not

You can get one of those dancing blow up men. A friend of mine has a problem with hawks & also a large area. She put two in her yard & hasn't had any issues since. The chickens eventually get use to the movement & aren't afraid but to hawks looks like a person is outside.

 

[GCrumb]

Buteo, like a red-tail:

Sits on a high spot or soars about, drops on prey from above. Don't use fishing line, she might not see it and get tangled, but the party-flags and reflective tape over the run may help. Once on the ground she is relatively slow to get airborne again and takes off from the ground at a shallow angle, so she has a hard time in narrow spaces, so she will think twice about going for something that's under a tangle of lines. An open-country bird.

Accipiter, like a goshawk:

Those short wings and long tail mean sharp turns. She can accelerate like a rocket. Her approach is to come tearing in from behind something so prey doesn't see her, and dart over or around it -- she bursts out of cover and grabs. A forest bird. A run that's well away from the edge of the woods so that the chickens see her approach and alarm will discourage her but she's a peerless psycho not a cautious personality.

 

[Donna-NC]

I lost a bunch of chickens to a hawk once fall came and all of their cover was just sticks instead of leaves and bushes. We built a run but plan on letting them free range again come spring. I plan on getting a “guard goose”. We did everything, fake owls, scarecrows, blasting the radio, CD’s hung from the trees, reflective tape etc but once the hawk knew they were there he just kept coming back.

I'd L_O_V_E to have those in my yard! For MY entertainment mostly.... ;-)

 

[Love Donkeys]

For years we used Great Pyrenees to protect our Meat Goat herd and the Chickens benefited too. Since we are semi-retired the only other livestock on our farm is Donkeys. Our Chickens run to the Donkeys when they frightened, especially when the predator has four legs.

Our free-range Speckled Sussex have plenty of objects they can duck under to protect themselves from winged predators. There was also very good advice offered in other posts. You could also add aluminum streamers or pie plates as distraction for the predators. Basically protect your birds like you would your garden. Your birds will get used to your man-made distractions and continue on with their daily routine. Good luck.

 

[AGeese]

I am surprised noone suggested a Liege fighter rooster so far...

Yes check these out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-fighter-thread.1378098/page-20#post-27909480