FOGHORN LEGHORN~ "Lookit here son, I say, I say son, did ya see that hawk after those hens? ....

[Sally Sunshine]

I would think my own chickens would make it go ballistic lol

 

[CaCO3]

[SIZE=10pt]All threads concerning hawks and their control mention the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the maximum penalties imposed.  The thing to remember is different areas of North America apply the act differently based on the perceived importance of the predator/chicken within a certain community.  Some Authorities may never issue kill permits, some may readily issue them, and some (as in my case) only require notification of a kill on my property.  It's important to obtain a LOCAL interpretation of need.  If the hawks are not rare, if the adults don't actually seem to migrate, and if you raise chickens for income, you are more likely to be let off lightly for blowing one away.  That said, it's best to first obtain a ruling based on your individual circumstances.  I recently lost a chicken to a pair of resident red tail hawks, but the flock (especially a rooster) learned from the experience.  The hens quickly hide, the roosters strut their stuff, and the circling hawks now move on without conflict.  The fact is the hawks are important for rodent control and I'm glad to have them around, even if I lose an occasional chicken.[/SIZE]

Good call on the migratory bird treaty act. That's the governing authority I do believe.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

CROWS are here this am! first time! although I wonder if this means there was a hawk too!

 

[CaCO3]

That's usually my first thought when I hear the commotion. If you look up and around usually you can see them bombing the hawk or perching all around it in the same tree. There is a massive crow population in Hartford right off I-84 and I have had small waves of them make a pit stop in my yard in the burbs. Hope no hawks give you trouble but I must give kudos to the crows they do harass the hawks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

That's usually my first thought when I hear the commotion. If you look up and around usually you can see them bombing the hawk or perching all around it in the same tree. There is a massive crow population in Hartford right off I-84 and I have had small waves of them make a pit stop in my yard in the burbs. Hope no hawks give you trouble but I must give kudos to the crows they do harass the hawks.

I know! I only ever saw them doing that one time when I was a kid out hunting a field, at the fence row they were flying all around after something! here it was a hawk yuppers! I actually felt sorry for the thing! lol

 

[CaCO3]

It's pretty inspirational though. Like a call to arms or something and they arent taking any s* from a bird of prey even though the hawk could kill them. It's like a swarm of annoying paparazzi. I've never seen a hawk take one out but have read that sometimes they do. There are sooo many hawks around here. They fly circles in duos and trios overhead screeching and they are perched on light posts all along the highway. Some of my chickens call the alarm when small planes fly over but I'd rather they be hyper vigilant not complacent.

 

[chirpingcricket]

It's pretty inspirational though. Like a call to arms or something and they arent taking any s* from a bird of prey even though the hawk could kill them. It's like a swarm of annoying paparazzi. I've never seen a hawk take one out but have read that sometimes they do. There are sooo many hawks around here. They fly circles in duos and trios overhead screeching and they are perched on light posts all along the highway. Some of my chickens call the alarm when small planes fly over but I'd rather they be hyper vigilant not complacent.

We are always glad to see the crows, bluejays and then the purple martins come in. (Having a garden I never thought I would say that!)

They will swarm the hawks away from their nests, helping to take some of the heat off our flocks when we are ranging them.
We have Cooper's Hawks (chicken hawks-mean, fiesty little devils) and red tail hawks in abundance on the Gulf Coast.
It usually settles down some in late May/June. I guess their helpful for little varmits, but wish they would concentrate on the coon population vs our chickens!

Oh well. . .food chain. . .guess they like chicken!

 

[Cynthia12]

I know! I only ever saw them doing that one time when I was a kid out hunting a field, at the fence row they were flying all around after something! here it was a hawk yuppers! I actually felt sorry for the thing! lol

Just watched that video of a hawk getting into the coop and getting a chicken.

We have a coopers hawk that was hanging out in the neighbors tree. I can't believe how fast they are. It has swooped over my head a couple of times. Haven't seen it since the cold part of winter. I look up in that tree every time I let my girls out.
One day, we heard my head hen just yelling out at something. My DH and I both went to see what was up. She was yelling right in front of the end coop run .. as we call it, and then we saw it. It was too small for a coppers, but it was NOT a sparrow! I went into the closed off run. How in the world did this bird get in there? It looked like a falcon. We have a lot of those around here too. It got out while I was in there. My DH said .. right here..and he shows me a very small hole in the top corner of the run. It got closed better. :/ Crazy! We actually don't think it could take on a chicken, but, mice we had! Really bad. We think it was after one. I got some really great mouse traps..live enclosed metal traps. Caught oodles this winter! No more falcon..but of course, it having me in there chasing it down probably took care of that one.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

oh wow it got through that tiny of a hole!

 

[CaCO3]

We are always glad to see the crows, bluejays and then the purple martins come in. (Having a garden I never thought I would say that!)

They will swarm the hawks away from their nests, helping to take some of the heat off our flocks when we are ranging them.
We have Cooper's Hawks (chicken hawks-mean, fiesty little devils) and red tail hawks in abundance on the Gulf Coast.
It usually settles down some in late May/June. I guess their helpful for little varmits, but wish they would concentrate on the coon population vs our chickens!

Oh well. . .food chain. . .guess they like chicken!

Raccoons are my #1 ground predator fear.