Big birds as a hawk deterrent?

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cmom said:
:welcome :frow I built nice large pens for my birds. I was tired of loosing them to predators. I have electric wires around the pens, concrete under the gates and good heavy duty netting covering my pens, all due to losses in the past. I do have a grass collector on my mowers and collect grass and put piles in every pen and let the birds scratch through the piles. I have also given them flock blocks which they like to peck at.
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I too built a large pen for my girls with the same problem of hawks circling around. It's 75 x25 x15 and made with hardware cloth and dug down a foot. The coop is inside and I have a locking door. If I'm home, I'll get them out to the larger yard for a bit, but they free range in the yard. There are a couple of trees and shrubs within it, so even if they don't get out they still have a nice large place to hang out.
 
My pens are around 60' x 20' each, but I have several pens. The total area is around 200' x 60' totally covered. I've had a Red Tail hanging around. I usually hear it before I see it every morning when I make the rounds to change out the memory cards in my cameras and check the birds. I also had been seeing a immature Bald Eagle. Haven't seen it lately.
 
It's illegal to shoot birds of prey. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, statute makes it unlawful without a waiver to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell birds listed therein as migratory birds. The statute does not discriminate between live or dead birds and also grants full protection to any bird parts including feathers, eggs, and nests. Over 800 species are currently on the list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues permits for otherwise prohibited activities under the act. These include permits for taxidermy, falconry, propagation, scientific and educational use, and depredation, an example of the last being the killing of geese near an airport, where they pose a danger to aircraft.
 
DottieWharton said:
I live in central Virginia and have a Cooper’s hawk that has become quite a nuisance! No love for this hawk.. it comes to my yard several times a week that I observe so likely more than that. Sits in my trees and watches my chickens. Has tried to fly off with one before but I got to it in time. Has successfully taken a wild bird off our feeder (we’ve taken those down now).

Has anyone had any luck deterring hawks with a large bird like ducks, geese, guinea or turkeys? If so, how many did you need? We would like to let our girls free range several hours a day which is why I am looking for a companion. They love to roam.

Also open to other suggestions!
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I personally don't think a big bird is a deterrent. I'm merely suggesting, if you free range that is the risk you take and there are alternatives. If there is an opportunity a hawk will take a bird. I had a Cooper's hawk kill a bird not 10 feet away from me. It didn't take it but did kill it, a Rhode Island White and they are not small birds.
 
Guinea fowl they always do the trick any time something that they aren't used to(hawks flying, dogs barking, cats, foxes, cars, etc.) happens they inform EVERYONE
 

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