Chicken Hawks HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bossynbella]

Today I went out to check on our new kittens and feed the chickens at 10am ( we let them out of the coop at 8 this morning) I looked out the window and saw what looked like our EE hen Mounting our RS hen after a few moments of confusion I figured out it was a brown Chicken Hawk I ran outside Yelling "CHICKEN HAWK CHICKEN HAWK" I startled it and was only about 5' from it when it finally took off flying.

My DH came running out to see what I was yelling about and Then shot up in the air with the BB gun a few times but the dang things hung around the rest of the day.

The hen seems okay, She is limping a little but still moving around and scratching at the dirt.

We will be keeping them in there small pen till we can think of something to do. It's illegal to shoot them in Iowa. I hate keeping them penned up, but its for there own good.

Any ideas?????? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bossynbella]

Forgot to post the pic of the hen

This was taken this afternoon she seems okay. Poor Bella!

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm so glad your girl is ok!! You might google and find out more about that breed of hawk. If it is migratory it should be gone in a week or so, but beware, it'll be back come spring. I have problems with red-tailed hawks twice a year during migration. The ones who live around here have never bothered my chickens.

 

[Windy Ridge]

If it's not migratory, or if you see it hanging around your place for very long, you can usually contact your local extension agency. Sometimes they have specialists who will help relocate raptors who are bothering livestock.

It's good you're keeping your chickens locked up for now.

 

[Bubba]

I always wondered if Chicken Hawks taste as good in a soup as chickens do.... Hmmm

Glad your bird is ok, great timing on that one

Bubba

 

[Zenbirder]

I've been doing a lot of verbal harassing. Cup your hands like a megaphone and really yell at the hawks while they are flying over, tell them to go away! So far the red tails really don't like it and will fly on down the ridge.

 

[rooster-red]

Have you tried hanging CD's/pie tins in some of the trees to scare/confuse the hawks?
Might be worth a try.

 

[bossynbella]

THanks for all the ideas, It looked greyish brown to me. I will try the cd's and we were thinking of getting a Scarecrow or something.

Keep the ideas coming !!!!


Melissa