GRRRRRR! Hawk killed #3!

[stephhassler]

Stupid, rotten, dang hawk. Kill #3 was a black polish cockerel. Heard the "we're scared" skwaking (sp?) today and ran outside - of course everyone was hiding but the hawk was no where to be seen. I searched and searched, finally gave up thinking I misinterpreted their skwaking. This evening my son and I were walking through the tall grass in the field and found the body. I can only assume when I was looking for the hawk he was hiding with the body in the tall grass. My dog would chase and/or kill the dog if I left him outside but he would also chase and kill the chickens. That hawk has got to go!

 

[clhbubba]

I am sorry for your losses.
We have lost 2 call ducks in the past couple of days to a hawk. I heard the guineas calling their alarm this afternoon and ran out to find it swooping down on the chickens. Had one of my polish game chickens in it's sight. I managed to scare it off. Tonight we are short our second call duck, the first was 2 days ago. Frustrating. We close our birds up at night but their sheds are too small to keep them in 24/7. They free range on a fenced acre. I don't know how to protect them on an acre.
I wish you luck.

 

[stephhassler]

I have the same problem - coop too small to keep everyone in during the day. I may make them stay in today though, I have be out of town all day and don't want to come home to another dead chicken. I'm going to look for a couple of those plastic owls today. maybe that will help.

 

[Gingersnap6]

We put orange plastic snow fence across the top of our chicken fence because we have trouble with hawks too. It has helped so far.

Bethany