Hawk Attack!

[foamspoon]

Saved my chickens from a big nasty hawk today! I was doing some yard work and the wife was out with the kids. I saw the hawk hovering ready for the attack (It was pretty cool looking I must say. ) I yelled to my wife, "IS THAT A HAWK!!!"" Her reply 5 feet above her"...oh ya look at that..." I sprinted to the pending attack, yelling at the hawk (did noting to deter the hawk.) The birds hid in the bushes and the hawk hung out in the trees. Not knowing what to do I throw rocks and wiffle balls at the hawk, hitting twice with rocks and once with the wiffle ball. (Again did nothing) He stayed around for an hour with me protecting my flock. I think he finaly got tired of me throwing things at him and he left.

My question is will he be back? I guess no more free ranging for my birds this winter.

Bryan

 

[nccountrygirl]

Yes he will be back waiting for the opportunity to get the first one that he can. Once they know where a free meal is you will have to be very careful with your flock. They will get one while you are out there, I don't free range mine for that reason, we have Red Tails and Coopers Hawk here.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Absolutely positively!!!
I had a hawk that almost got my Leghorn hen in the fall...The next day he was sitting 10 feet away from the house looking in the front windows, like he was at the drive thru.

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

Once a hawk finds prey in an area of his territory, he will continue to pay special attention to it. They will attack while you are around as well.

 

[picklespickles]

good for you for throwing rocks at it.

 

[Half-a-dozen]

We had a hawk attack AND ROOST!!! with our chickens once. Craziest thing and the first time we've ever seen a predator. That hawk was set free and must have told ALL of his feathered friends cause now you can see our home miles away from the swarm of red-tails above. They circle the premesis all day long. Just waiting to snatch up another one of our Gals........ since then we have place netting above (completely covering) over 300 sq. ft of run. A lot of work but well worth the time.........so far all safe!!!

 

[lyndatu]

The hawk deserves to be stoned! You might kill it as well!

 

[foamspoon]

Quote:
If I did not live in such a residental area I would have bought a .22 yesterday!

 

[foamspoon]

As a temp solution I am locking up my girls in the run (no free range) and I stretched "deer fence" on top to keep them in. My question is will the deer fence keep the hawks out or should I say deter them. I know it will not stop other types of monsters from getting the girls but most of them only come out at night!

 

[ozark hen]

if "deer fence" is that deer netting then yes, it will keep them out. I have read, on here, of several people using it and it working. You might check out coops and designs. I know speckled hen has wires with cd's strung on them in her pictures, too.