Hawk attack! What now???

[Layniep3]

After 3 years I've had my first fatality due to a hawk attack. My poor girl was ripped open in front of her flock a mere 10 minutes before I got home. I've been keeping everyone in their covered run since then, but I feel terrible since they love to free-range and forage in the backyard. I've been trying to provide stimulating activities to keep them entertained, but it isn't the same as being able to run free. I've read about scarecrows, strings of lights across the yard, netting, etc. In your experience, have any of these proven effective? The damn hawk was back the next day so I don't dare risk letting them out unless I'm right there with them.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I’m so sorry this happened
You are doing the right thing locking them up for now
Many say 2-3 weeks to make sure he moves on from easy meals
There are many things one can try but if a hawk is truly desperate to eat they will come even with you standing there
I have a husky that stays with my birds
I have wind chimes as hawks don’t like noise
We have had many close calls and luckily I have been out there spraying my hose and yelling at the hawks
So far in 2.5 years I have been lucky not to have one get one
This summer it was close
I didn’t see the hawk I was under the covered deck about 5-8 feet from one of my ducks when the hawk swooped down hitting the ground missing my duck who ran to me

 

[Red Mangrove]

I would recommend planting more vegetation, ideally many shrubs and bushes all over the place. I've watched hawks attack my flock but not once have they ever caught anything. Small plants always save my birds

Big empty areas are a death sentence for chickens. Remember that the red junglefowl is primarily a forest dwelling animal

 

[Jenbirdee]

My backyard has several trees, shrubs, and lawn furniture. I thought I had plenty of hiding spots but I guess it wasn't enough

my shrubs trees lawn furniture and children’s playhouses are all not more than 6 feet apart from each other in my 3000 sq ft duck/chicken yard. therefore a duck/chicken never has to run more than 3 feet to hide. yep it’s an obstacle course.

 

[puddle_drinker]

I have used reflective crinkly tape I got on amazon. The hawks don't like the reflection and the don't like the noise it makes. I put it as high up as I can in trees and also near the ground. I have not had a hawk return since I started using it, but I have seen them fly right by to go to my neighbor's flock.... until they started using flashy garland.

Yep, shiny metallic tape works. It should be in a position that the slightest breeze makes it move around. I have Red Tailed Hawks, Red Shouldered Hawks, and Bald Eagles living in my area and this has worked for me. To test it I put it near an area that the hawks regularly perched to hunt, and it kept them away until the rubber band holding the tape broke and it fell on the ground. I also have nylon netting over my run just in case.

 

[McChooky]

After 3 years I've had my first fatality due to a hawk attack. My poor girl was ripped open in front of her flock a mere 10 minutes before I got home. I've been keeping everyone in their covered run since then, but I feel terrible since they love to free-range and forage in the backyard. I've been trying to provide stimulating activities to keep them entertained, but it isn't the same as being able to run free. I've read about scarecrows, strings of lights across the yard, netting, etc. In your experience, have any of these proven effective? The damn hawk was back the next day so I don't dare risk letting them out unless I'm right there with them.

Be proud you can look at their faces and and still not let them out. Its hard! After a bobcat killed my neighbors chickens I rescued his only hen and now its hunting mine. The only way to guarantee chickens are safe from predators is to provide them secure coops and runs until all dangers passed ( permanently).There are no guarantees any of us can keep all of them alive all of the time but you've done remarkable job in 3 yrs! Sorry for your loss!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

 

[Susan Dye]

I recently saw an article that suggested using twine to discourage airborne predators. It can be randomly strung across an open area to disrupt the flight pattern of hawks. If the area isn't too large, it's an inexpensive easy fix. My girls have about 100 ft by 60 ft of open area for free ranging and I was considering netting, but with trees from my yard and my neighbors yards shedding so many leaves in the fall, it didn't seem practical. I was also concerned about small song birds getting trapped. Haven't had hawk problems yet, or installed the twine, but will likely be doing that this spring.

 

[McChooky]

I recently saw an article that suggested using twine to discourage airborne predators. It can be randomly strung across an open area to disrupt the flight pattern of hawks. If the area isn't too large, it's an inexpensive easy fix. My girls have about 100 ft by 60 ft of open area for free ranging and I was considering netting, but with trees from my yard and my neighbors yards shedding so many leaves in the fall, it didn't seem practical. I was also concerned about small song birds getting trapped. Haven't had hawk problems yet, or installed the twine, but will likely be doing that this spring.

I've read fishing line lasts a lot longer and is waterproof

 

[Birdsonghill]

Over the last fifty years I have lost many birds to predators including hawks. Indeed, just a couple weeks ago I lost two roosters from my free ranging bachelor flock to a hawk and two more to a bobcat! I have tried with pretty good success to discourage hawk attacks over the years in long narrow yards with tape or fishing line with attached streamers strung over the top every 6 or 8 feet. The only place that has not lost birds to predators is a very secure coop and fully enclosed run with the wire buried deep and extending out a foot. When I let the bachelor flocks free range in the open on my mini farm, I always loose a few before I sale or eat them all. If I put them in the narrow yards with the tapes or strings and streamers the hawks don't get them but the mammalian predators do. I still let the bachelor flocks free range most years for a while, because they eat the ticks and look so nice ranging across the yard. Once the hawk or other predator hits you better lock up the birds because they will be back!