Coyote decoy

[nan4848]

Has anyone ever used a coyote decoy to deter hawks? I live in an urban setting and recently had a hawk attack one of my hens. The hens do have a covered pen, but I have gotten into the habit of letting them out for a few hours when I am home. It isn't a huge area and they do have some cover with shrubbery, but my only OEGB got hit. I happened to be close by so the hawk only had her just pinned down before I scared it off. She was lucky in that I was there and no damage to internal organs was done, although she did have 2 nasty puncture wounds under one wing. She is recovering now with hopefully no lasting side effects.

My husband suggested a coyote decoy. Like this one on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Bird-X-COYOTE...34KK6/ref=pd_luc_sim_01_01_t_lh?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Judging from the reviews I realize it might scare the chickens at first, but not for long as people use them to scare away geese and they don't scare them for long. Just wondering if anyone has tried this and had it work, or if it's a waste of money?

 

[Galtice]

I would like to know too!! I have hawks im the area and sense one of my baby silkies literally pulled a disappearing act absolutely no trace at all no feathers nothing messing with fencing I'm assuming it would have to be a hawk!!!

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I have one and can say that it doesn't deter a hawk at all. I've lost a few birds to hawks, one within a couple feet of the fake 'yote.
And the hens got used to it pretty quick. Mine even swivels in the wind.

 

[nan4848]

Thanks. Good to know. I had a feeling if geese got used to it hawks would also.

 

[centrarchid]

Bantams, chicks and hen only flocks are exceedingly difficult to protect from hawks since hawks have no qualms about chasing such into even heavy cover on the ground. A fully adult standard sized rooster can often help but your urban situation I assume makes that not an option. The hawks often do not even recognize the dummy as being what it is intended to mimic.

 

[Folly's place]

My best management option has been to lock the flock in their hawk-proof run and coop after a 'visitation'. Most often young bantam cockrels are taken; they are smaller, young, and dumb. I lock the birds in for a week or three if this happens, and the hawk moves to more productive pastures. In general the advantages of free range outweigh the risks, but not always. Places to hide do help, and some losses are hard to avoid, especially the smaller birds. Mary