I free range even bantams - have few problems. Most if the hawks in my area just want smaller prey like baby chicks. Due to my location, birds of prey migrate constantly. When large hawks and eagles move through the area, I merely pen up my birds for a few days. The hawks will move on. Having a nice covered shelter where they free range really helps, too. In my yard I have barn owls that nest, kestrals (sparrow hawk), crows, and Kites. Birds that routinely use my trees as outposts (some of out trees are the tallest and highest up are on our property) include the ones I already mentions, as well are red tails, ferriginous, and whatever migratory raptor is in town. I free range duccles under those trees. Sometimes a kestral comes by and dive bombs them, but I go out there and make my presence known and pen up the bantys for a day or two... If I lose some, I lose some.
I agree with the permits for shooting a bird of prey. The reason is, there are too many people that overreact when a bird of prey comes into thier area, and one bird shot here and there, it adds up over time to large numbers of dead hawks. It's not just one or two people here and there who want to shoot a hawk they see as a problem, its when lots of people over time do it, and thats where you start to have bird population declines. While each of us may be an individual with our own lives and property to consider, we also have to share the world with each other and without decimating animal species that are inconvenient to us. You have to look at the big picture. If a bird is a real problem, bring the evidence to the US Dept of fish and wildlife (or whomever regulates the permits) and present your case. If you have no other recourse, a permit will probably be granted. Hawks and other birds of prey serve a purpose in maintaining lower rodent, rat and snake populations, so I for one prefer to deal with the threat of chicken predation as a trade-off.
