Falcon/hawk in the middle of the city?? (SF Bay Area)

[Kikwi]

Went out today at about 2pm and found a raptor perched on a line staring at my chicks. It flew off with its mate when I showed up and tried to take a picture. We live in a very urban environment and I've never seen a raptor out here (Oakland, CA in the flatlands). After some internet searching, it seems we have mated pairs of peregrine falcons nesting all over the bay.

I was planning to let the chicks out of the run to roam the yard eventually, but now I'm no so sure -- should I be worried? Has anyone had a raptor attack in the city?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Yes yes yes and yes.
Keep them covered, don't let them range, have thick wire (like chicken wire, not just netting) over the top.
Once a hawk tastes your birds, it will never leave. So if you want range them be out there with them and DON'T let them out if you see hawks. You and them can live peacefully, but when blood is shed....

 

[Kikwi]

Wow, dang. We coon-proofed our run (two layers of welded wire with 2' of hardware cloth up the sides and skirted out, all screwed in with washers) so I'm not worried when they are locked up. I guess we'll just have to have supervised roaming only. Thank you for the warning!

 

[centrarchid]

Went out today at about 2pm and found a raptor perched on a line staring at my chicks. It flew off with its mate when I showed up and tried to take a picture. We live in a very urban environment and I've never seen a raptor out here (Oakland, CA in the flatlands). After some internet searching, it seems we have mated pairs of peregrine falcons nesting all over the bay.

I was planning to let the chicks out of the run to roam the yard eventually, but now I'm no so sure -- should I be worried? Has anyone had a raptor attack in the city?

Raptors involved in all likelihood were not Peregrine Falcons. More likely were Coopers Hawks or some other type of hawk like a Red-tailed Hawk which often frequent and live in urban environments. Coopers Hawks hunt a more varied range of prey than the Peregrine Falcon and do so down among the trees. Peregrines are very fast making them well suited for pursuit of fast prey in open areas while the Coopers are decidedly slower but very maneuverable with the ability to pursue prey even when running and scrambling on foot through brush is involved. The Red-tailed Hawks are larger and slower than Peregrines Falcons and Coopers Hawks but are very efficient at detecting hidden prey and not burning so much energy in the pursuit of prey.

 

[wv leipers]

DETURING HAWKS BY HANGING ALUMINUM PIE PANS ON 12 INGHES OF FISHING LINE EVEN ALUNIMUM FOIL FROM BRANCHES OF TREES WHERE CHICKENS ROAM 10 OR 15 ALL AROUND .NEIGHBORS MY THINK YOU ARE NUTS BUT WHATEVER SAVES OUR BIRDS IS ALL THAT MATTERS WV LEIPERS

 

[chickortreat]

Each to his own, I reckon, but I deter them via other means. And my deterrence works.....every time.

 

[wv leipers]

I ALSO USE OTHER MEANS LEGAL OR NOT BUT I FIRST LET THE DNR KNOW THAT THE HAWKS ARE KILLING MY BIRDS AND SHOW PROOF . IF THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION I WILL BE GLAD TO HELP THEM WITH ; THEIR ; PROBLEM GOOD LUCK CHICKEN LOVERS WV LEIPERS

 

[marktoo]

I ALSO USE OTHER MEANS LEGAL OR NOT BUT I FIRST LET THE DNR KNOW THAT THE HAWKS ARE KILLING MY BIRDS AND SHOW PROOF . IF THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION I WILL BE GLAD TO HELP THEM WITH ; THEIR ; PROBLEM GOOD LUCK CHICKEN LOVERS WV LEIPERS

DETURING HAWKS BY HANGING ALUMINUM PIE PANS ON 12 INGHES OF FISHING LINE EVEN ALUNIMUM FOIL FROM BRANCHES OF TREES WHERE CHICKENS ROAM 10 OR 15 ALL AROUND .NEIGHBORS MY THINK YOU ARE NUTS BUT WHATEVER SAVES OUR BIRDS IS ALL THAT MATTERS WV LEIPERS

No need to yell, we can hear you just fine.

 

[wv leipers]

ONE MORE SOLUTION TO HAWKS , PUT A SMALL CAGE WITH A YOUNG CHICKEN IN IT IN THE AREA WHERE THE HAWKS ARE VISITING HANG THE CAGE ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND IN AN OPEN AREA ,THEN HOOK ELECTRIC ALL AROUND THE CAGE NOT TOUCHING THE CAGE JUST AROUND IT SO WOU WON;T HURT YOUR CHICKEN WHEN THE HAWK LANDS ON THE ELECTRIC FENCING HE WILL NOT RETURN GOOD LUCK WV LEIPERS