Hawk attack prevention ideas

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

My sweet Hamburg (Hamburger) was once again attacked by a hawk. The wounds are far deeper this time. I do not believe in locking my pets up, and I accept that I may lose one someday. I have a fenced 1.5 acres for them. They are all big girls except for Hamburger who is only about 4 pounds. I believe their only predators are hawks. If Hamburg was not so white and speckled and small, I don’t think we would have any troubles. Today I locked the roosters up because they were raping the old ladies that can barely walk. It left my girls unprotected! My ideas and questions are as follows:
-If I dye Hamburgers tail, and maybe her back, solid black, or any other color for that matter, is it safe? Do you think that would remove the huge waving hawk flag?
-If I put pinless peepers on my roosters (so that they will stop raping the old ladies) do you think they will still be able to see well enough to protect from hawks? I’m not thrilled with the peepers, but I believe them to be better than the stewpot.
Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

 

[McChooky]

You may have too many roosters but there's always the option of adding aprons to protect the hens backs .The peepers are not a good idea,they limit their vison making it easier for the predatos to catch them.

 

[STACEYH]

How do you have things set up? Are there any hiding areas ?

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

I have two geese that live with my chickens and they do an excellent job at protecting from hawks. Even better than my Roos. There’s a hawk soaring in the sky? Boom, geese see it right away and alert the chickens, who all go running for cover. Not sure if you’d want to get geese, but I love my boys

 

[McChooky]

I have two geese that live with my chickens and they do an excellent job at protecting from hawks. Even better than my Roos. There’s a hawk soaring in the sky? Boom, geese see it right away and alert the chickens, who all go running for cover. Not sure if you’d want to get geese, but I love my boys

My neighbors geese kept everything ran off lol

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

You may have too many roosters but there's always the option of adding aprons to protect the hens backs .The peepers are not a good idea,they limit their vison making it easier for the predatos to catch them.

How do you have things set up? Are there any hiding areas ?

I do have too many roosters. 3 for only 13 girls. The roosters are all five months old. I am waiting for the new coop to be completed next week and then the roosters can have their own area. I don’t know what else to do with them! I imagine I will just let one hang out with the girls. Maybe I can rotate them? That probably doesn’t work though.

Most of our backyard is trees and shrubs. This attack happened under all of the apple trees! The previous attack, I saw the hawk swooping through the huge arborvitae‘s trying to get them. I read that the Cooper’s Hawk’s will fly under trees and everything to get them but that roosters can usually fight these smaller hawks off. That is if they are not locked up for being bad, and not wearing peepers…

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

I have two geese that live with my chickens and they do an excellent job at protecting from hawks. Even better than my Roos. There’s a hawk soaring in the sky? Boom, geese see it right away and alert the chickens, who all go running for cover. Not sure if you’d want to get geese, but I love my boys

I have never thought of geese. Wouldn’t they need to have a pond?

 

[McChooky]

I do have too many roosters. 3 for only 13 girls. The roosters are all five months old. I am waiting for the new coop to be completed next week and then the roosters can have their own area. I don’t know what else to do with them! I imagine I will just let one hang out with the girls. Maybe I can rotate them? That probably doesn’t work though.

Most of our backyard is trees and shrubs. This attack happened under all of the apple trees! The previous attack, I saw the hawk swooping through the huge arborvitae‘s trying to get them. I read that the Cooper’s Hawk’s will fly under trees and everything to get them but that roosters can usually fight these smaller hawks off. That is if they are not locked up for being bad, and not wearing peepers…

Aprons work great especially if you have young roosters who are rough on the hens.I would never put peepers on a free ranged rooster for fear it would lead to something killing him.

 

[McChooky]

Maybe you can get her a camo saddle?! That should help a lot! Other than that I don't know what to tell you because I've got zero experience free ranging chickens.I do know netting works though because I used it before I got my hardware cloth attached!Worked like a charm!

 

[STACEYH]

You could try a small deck they could hide under. Something just tall enough they can run under and not be grabbed from the air.