Cooper's Hawks - anyone have experience with?

[xke4]

I saw a Cooper's Hawk kill a full grown Gold Laced Wyandotte 20 feet from me.

 

[greenapple]

I had a fairly large hawk - markings indicated coopers, so did the call, but not the size, it was huge, at least 2 feet tall - kill my EE last Feb. I live in a migratory playground of sorts, they either winter here or pass through in November and February. What I started to do after that was to keep the sling shot and a box of m-60's handy. Anytime I see any around, I launch a fire cracker near the hawk/falcon. I have seen a red tailed hawk carry off a full grown cat. I got a picture of a very gutsy squirrel having it out with an apparently full red tail, it just looked over at the squirrel and flew away.

I wish this had come out clearer, but was at full digital zoom and my lens was fogging because of the temp that morning.

The resident red tails don't seem that interested in my chickens, but migratory hawks and even peregrine falcons have chased my free range girls. I even had a Merlin on top of the coop trying to get through the poultry netting.
Here is a resident:

 

[jjthink]

Yikes Carolyn (xke4). I'm sorry this happened to the Gold Laced Wyandotte - and with you only 20 feet away - those hawks are so brazen. Self-assured. The net says Wyandotte can be something like 8.5 pounds - much bigger than my 2.......who are only about 5 pounds.


And Lisa (greenapple) - wowee kazowie - that's one brave squirrel!!! Great photos. Sound slike you have quite the array of predator birds eager for a chicken dinner :|

JJ

 

[McGoo]

Green apple,
A cooper's hawk is not as big as a Red Tail. I really can't tell what the bird in the top photo is, but if it's bigger than the Red-Tail it's something else.

 

[OthalaAcres]

I've been trying for a week to identify a bird sound around the apple tree by the coops. At first I thought it might be a pilleated woodpecker, but it sounded different. So while looking through the enature.com website for local bird sounds this morning, I just happened to out of curiousity click on the sound of a Cooper's Hawk. And my blood ran cold when I heard THE EXACT SAME CALL!

So I have a Cooper's Hawk nesting just yards from my coops! I haven't seen it yet, but it's definitely there somewhere! My turkey breeding pen is netted because the hens like to fly out and run across the road to hide nests (and be eaten by coyotes). I also have my bantam Dominiques in there. But my big chicken pen, and my Silkie pen are both open. I figured the small pines in there would be a great cover for them against hawks, owls, etc.... but from what I read about Cooper's Hawks, trees aren't a bit of a problem for them!

Great! Now I have to figure out how to net a pretty big pen that has trees in it... at least the Silkie pen is a bit easier to cover.

 

[jjthink]

I feel your pain Lily!!! It's been so hard with the Cooper's nesting only maybe 30 feet from the coop. (I just realized the irony - Coop-ers nesting near Coops!).
I've spent all my non-office time standing outside over the chickens, getting painfully behind on everything yet feeling sorry for them and not wanting to condemn them to their small covered run all the time. I keep praying that the Coops will leave when their youngsters fledge but they may well not, if they like this territory. It's weird - my roo and hen are not sufficiently concerned. She is oblivious and he only scolds the sky when he sees them, but doesn't seek cover. Perhaps not equating the size of the hawk with a threat, though from what I read, he should.
Wishing you luck and no casualties.
JJ

 

[Red Beret Co-man-do]

I've lost around 30 birds over the years to hawks, all types have been seen dining here enjoying a fresh chicken dinner on a tab. I have, after trying all the many suggested ideas with no luck, employed the S.S.S. method of predator eradication. Keep in mind that your two Coopers main goal is to create more little Coopers hawks, increasing your future flock's chance of an early dining experience.
In your case, if you live to close to neighbors for the discharge of a firearm or if you don't have the stomach for breaking the law, there is always climbing that tree and burning our that nest or felling it altogether. Someone suggested using a Paintball Gun to spray them with colors, I prefer Turkey loads.
I guess you could always just let your birds out to free range and they will be content until dinner time comes- guaranteed no squawking to the neighbors after that. Plus, your new chicks can then be trained to never know what it's like out of the pen.
My wife suggested a flare gun for the nest but if your located in a drought state, I'm not so sure..............
Rest assured that the method I now employ has brought the problem to a complete halt. One writer to this forum brought to mind that if the predators have continued to assault your flock, then there must be to many hawks, kites, owls, opossums, coons, dogs, or cats in your vicinity that must be culled out.
Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.