Cooper's Hawks Hunt Openings to Coops During Migration!

[Molpet]

Is there anyway we can reduce those average ages,, without risking involuntary confinement or hefty fines?

DDT, lead in bait.... ummm nope those will all get you involuntary confinement or hefty fines and maybe disqualified from voting

 

[Fishkeeper]

Maybe, instead, try setting it up so a hawk can't get into your coop. Or, if you live in an area with lots of hawks, don't freerange your birds.

 

[centrarchid]

I have Coopers Hawks come in routinely without loss of chickens. I have resolved not to have young chickens while Coopers Hawk density is highest through fall and early winter. Red-tailed Hawks and a waif Ferruginous Hawk did cause some loss several years ago with free-range birds kept in fence row near house. I left carcasses out so I could get positive ID on who came to consume them. If only one hawk came in, then I assumed it made kill.

Losses all occurred during periods of heavy snow cover so I had an exceptional feel for what happened. Chickens had some cover patches, but not enough. Kills occurred near cover patches in most cases. I saw the Ferruginous Hawk pen a group of chickens beneath a Multi-floral Rose and try to get them for more than an hour without success. It was clear the cover patches provided some benefit.

Then I started working on establishing larger and denser cover patches where the barn would ultimately be built. Not pretty, but maturation of the cover patches coincided with the Red-tailed Hawks no longer hunting the poultry I have. Red-shouldered Hawks come in a lot during winter and early spring, but they seem to have no interest in chickens, nor do the chickens fear them. I have lots of roosters in pens that free-range hens can retreat to for protection. The penned game roosters intimidate Coopers Hawks, even the larger females through pen wire.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

I feel for you and your hawk problems.. I do not have much of a hawk problem... but I am exploring bald eagle recipes so I can dispose of any evidence in the future....

I think eagles are a type of hawk. Ummm, why would you need eagle recipes ???

 

[duluthralphie]

I think eagles are a type of hawk. Ummm, why would you need eagle recipes ???

I think I see what your saying,, I can use my hawk recipes on the eagles!

 

[Fishkeeper]

No, hawks and eagles are different, just very closely related. You'll never see a hawk the size of a bald eagle.
I really, really wouldn't advise killing any sort of bird of prey. There are laws against that, and they ARE the sort of laws that are upheld firmly. It's for good reason- if you were allowed to shoot any hawk or eagle that threatened your livestock, people could shoot all the birds of prey they wanted and claim it was threatening something, and those aren't animals that breed fast enough to keep up with that kind of predation. Plus, if you go into an animal's habitat and bring livestock with you, it's your responsibility to protect that livestock, not to kill off all the native things that cause you issues.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

We've had a Cooper's Hawk around for the past 2 years. Red tailed hawks have always been here off and on, great horned owls too, and peregrine falcons. Last week both the cooper's and the falcon were in my back yard (on separate days). Poor chickens didn't get out much that week. I only have 5 chickens, I live in the city. They have an enclosed run, made as predator proof as we could make it. We have a river and parkway behind our house so our wildlife is a bit less city-ish than usual. Before I had chickens I loved seeing the hawks flying around. Now not so much, lol.
Only thing that makes me feel a bit better about letting them out when I'm around is their reaction when one of the hawks was flying high up overhead. One looked up and called the alarm, and they all ran back in the run. with me right behind them.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

So the game of Hawks vs Hens continues... It is like any game in that satisfaction can only be known if it takes effort to win, and sometimes the opponent wins anyway.

Back to the babysitting the birds during freerangeing for remainder of fall. And then this morning I find an escapee, so clipping will be done to her ASAP since that's easier than sealing the holes in the coop eaves.

 

[Molpet]

So the game of Hawks vs Hens continues... It is like any game in that satisfaction can only be known if it takes effort to win, and sometimes the opponent wins anyway.

Back to the babysitting the birds during freerangeing for remainder of fall. And then this morning I find an escapee, so clipping will be done to her ASAP since that's easier than sealing the holes in the coop eaves.

If a hen can get out the coop eves, a predator can get in... Hawks have been known to get in under netting loosely attached to the run walls

 

[Al Capon]

Is there anyway we can reduce those average ages,, without risking involuntary confinement or hefty fines?

Sure can, a Colling Street fruit cake or bottle of Crown Royal goes a long way "greasing" squealing neighbors..